I Could Be Nothing
by Oshawhatt
Summary: She lost everything three years ago, including her spirit. Now her other half is suddenly back in her life, and his presence has set off a catastrophic chain of events. Ferriswheelshipping, N/White, rating will go up in later chapters.
1. Return

A/N: So, uh. I haven't written fanfiction in like...three years. Damn you, Pokemon Black/White! Damn you for having an awesome story! Also, I know that there is a megaton of Ferriswheelshipping stuff out there...so, bear with me. Anyway. The title comes from a song by Great Lake Swimmers called, obviously, _I Could Be Nothing_, which is where the first bit of quoted text comes from. I HIGHLY recommend checking them out(or at least the song, because it was definitely important in me writing this), even though most of you won't. Anyway, enjoy!

**_I Could Be Nothing_**

by Oshawhatt

_Each one shifts and weakens a little,_

_Neither aware just how much they are brittle;_

_Each one shifts and weakens a bit,_

_Allowing the other to live and exist._

_Oh, water and patience,_

_Pressure and time,_

_Cuts through the faces of rocks we have climbed._

_The army of kisses - the lake never tires -  
_

_Kisses that can put out all of my fires._

_'You would be nothing without me,_

_I could be nothing,'_

_said the waves to the sand,_

_'I could be nothing without you.'_

The young Oshawott surveyed his surroundings through bleary eyes, noticing the hint of sunshine peeking in through the window. With a soft yawn, he snuggled deeper into a downy purple comforter, unwilling to cede to the waking morning. Beside him, his beloved friend and the trainer of both him and his mother slept peacefully, her chestnut locks of hair splayed out across her pillow. Oshawott chanced a glance at the young woman, uttering a soft "Osha?" to see if she would stir. Satisfied with the lack of movement, the otter-like Pokemon pressed against her warm body, sighing blissfully at the extra few minutes to snooze. It almost felt like Momma was next to him. He felt like he was floating as he drifted off, floating on the whitest, fluffiest-

**BEEP BEEP BEEP**

"OSHA! OSHAWOTT" screamed the startled creature as he leaped up onto his trainer's sleeping form, simultaneously dragging her out of sleep. White yelped harshly, sitting up rapidly from the shock of both the alarm and the force of a small Pokemon landing on her stomach. Regaining her bearings, the girl sighed and slammed a hand down on to the OFF button.

"Oshawott, come on, it's okay," she chided, scooping up her little friend. He settled against her, continuing to 'meep' in distress. "It's just the alarm. You know that."

Once Oshawott had calmed, White set him back on the bed. Poor thing had been so on edge since…well, she didn't like to think about it. 'Rest well, Samurott' she thought with a wince, remembering anyway. It had already been two months since that incident, and the deep wounds in White's heart were still rather raw. She mostly blamed Samurott's untimely death on herself. After saving the world, what was there left to do, anyway? White had become pathetically apathetic in the following three years, tired of all of the endless fawning and attention with which heroism came. It had been her carelessness which had led to the loss of her original partner, but she still couldn't seem to care about much of anything. Not even Reshiram could spark her into her former, lively self – the girl simply felt and acted as if she were near dead.

Rising from her tangled sheets and thoughts, White stretched slightly and grabbed her robe from where it was hanging on the door, tying it around her lithe form. With Oshawott following cautiously, the 19 year old drifted into the next room, plopping down at the kitchen table. She had moved away from her mother in Nuvema Town last year, determined to at least attempt to make it on her own. Occasional public appearances and royalties from a book she had written about her experiences paid for her to rent a small apartment in Castelia City. It was enough.

"Osha?" the otter questioned softly, nuzzling her leg. White allowed a small smile, and smoothed the fur on his head lovingly. Pokemon, at least, wouldn't abandon her.

"All right, breakfast then," she decided, standing to fill a bowl for Oshawott and to get some cereal for herself.

Once she had settled back at the table, White yawned and stared at her list of appointments for the next week, groaning when she saw an appearance scheduled for that very day. "Shit," she muttered, eying the clock, which all-too-cheerfully proclaimed it to be 6:37 AM; the event was at 8 AM sharp in Striation City, which would definitely take at least an hour of travel via flying. 'Well', she thought, staring at her cold cereal miserably, 'No shower, I guess.'

She was running so, so late. Despite the fact that Braviary was pumping his broad, powerful wings as fast as possible, White knew that she'd never make it on time. Not like she cared, anyway. The only issue was that she _hated _disappointing her fans, having been disappointed so many times herself. Pretty much everyone but her mother and Pokemon had abandoned her, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. People only existed to let you down, she had reasoned and had proceeded to shut herself off from everyone else. The reminder of her heroism, Reshiram, had sat dormant in her Pokeball for months now; White knew it was cruel, but she couldn't stand to be reminded of her past more than she already was. It would only drag up memories from yet another abandonment, one too painful on which she cared to dwell.

Finally, Striation City was rapidly coming into sight. White slowed Braviary with a short call, searching for a decent place to land. Finding one, she guided him down in a spiral, slowing his descent gradually. The eagle-like Pokemon touched down on a soft path of grass in a park in the city with a soft caw, and White hopped off him, thanking and returning him as fast as she could. With that, she frantically began scrambling towards the town center where she was to give a speech regarding the reopening of the Pokemon Center, which had recently undergone major renovations. She knew that it would be the same tired old speech she always gave, about hope and all that business about how Pokemon are our friends, et cetera. Maybe she'd be nice and let Reshiram out of her Pokeball for once.

As she reached her destination, White mentally groaned as she met eyes with her frazzled agent, who looked just about ready to strangle her. Picturing the headlines (Famous Heroine Choked by Seething Bitch), she marched forward and braced herself.

"What the shit are you trying to do to me?" hissed Beth, grabbing White by the shoulder. "Send me to a premature grave? You could have at least turned on your piece of shit phone. Goddamnit, just get in there and do your thing. They're getting antsy."

"Oh, yes, Beth," White replied with a sarcastic drawl. "I'd love it if you died from a nervous breakdown. At least I wouldn't have to deal with this petty bullshit anymore."

"Christ, White," her agent snapped, shoving the girl forward. "Stop being a gigantic bitch, and _go in_."

Rolling her eyes, the young woman sighed dramatically and turned the corner around the Pokemon Center. Immediately, many hands were pushing and pulling her towards a makeshift stage. As she stepped on to the platform, White took a deep breath, and turned to face her audience with an overly cheery grin.

"Good morning everyone!" she chirped with false enthusiasm, feeding off of the exuberant energy of the audience. "I'm sure glad that you guys came out today to re-welcome this amazing service to your awesome city!"

Several people whooped, and others remained in awe of seeing such a legend before their very eyes. White went on with her speech, discussing how important Pokemon Centers were for the general public, explaining how this was an example of tax dollars being used to the best extent, and praising the volunteers which made up the staff. Internally, she was wincing at how incredibly cheesy she sounded, but the people were really eating this shit right up. As she was wrapping up, she allowed herself to scan the back of the crowd for the first time. A flash of a smile and green and – 'Oh…oh, what?' she thought, her mind freezing as she stopped mid-sentence, transfixed.

Several member of the audience were whispering, confused as to why the heroine had stopped so abruptly. In the back of the audience, unnoticed by anyone but the girl on stage, a tall man nodded gently for her continue, breaking her out of her spell.

"And…uhm, thanks to everyone's donations, we've made this dream a reality! Have a good time, everyone!" White finished weakly. Her head was swimming, and she felt as if she were going to pass out right on stage. As the crowd was dispersing, she shakily stepped down from the platform; the man approached her.

"White," he greeted, a kind smile on his face. "It's been too long."

"Why are you here?" she whispered, clenching her fists.

"What, are you not happy to see me?" That innocent look which filled his face was all too familiar, yet different somehow. More weathered, less naïve. "I would've thought that after three years you'd be okay with me dropping in to say hello."

Something was wiggling in White's bag, but she ignored it. Probably just her phone.

"Yeah, well, hi N, bye," she said coldly, then turned to walk away. N reached out and grabbed her arm, but she yanked it away roughly. "Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you or see your face, okay?"

"What did I do, White?" he asked softly, a hurt look on his face. "I thought you'd want to see me. You were crying when I left, I don't underst-"

"Well, I'm not some stupid, weak girl anymore, N!" the trainer snapped. "Okay? Just leave!"

N was about to say something, but was interrupted by a huge flash and a scream from White. Panicking, he cried out and looked about wildly, unable to see anything due to temporary blindness. As the spots cleared, he was dumbfounded at what he saw.

Reshiram and Zekrom had both escaped their Pokeballs and were pressed against each other, low rumbling sounds coming from their throats. Bowing her head, Reshiram rested it against Zekrom's throat, closing her eyes in what seemed to be bliss. Because he was so transfixed with the ethereal sight, it took N a bit to notice that White had taken a very undignified face plant and was struggling to get up. Kneeling, he grabbed her elbows and carefully pulled her up. Hair undone and face covered in dirt, she glared at him, yanking her limbs away from his touch.

"Thanks," she said shortly, looking up. "What…what in the hell is going on with those two?"

"It seems as if they missed each other," N replied softly, a gentle smile coming upon his face. White eyed him, a little shaken; some things hadn't changed in the past few years. "If I had known that Zekrom was suffering so much, I would have come back sooner."

Hearing his name, the gigantic Legendary glanced over at the humans on the ground, then roared loudly. Instinctively, White knew that something was wrong – the Pokemon sounded absolutely furious, and it almost seemed like it was directed at her. Several screams resounded throughout the immediate area; White suddenly realized that there had been normal people around. Suddenly, both Pokemon separated; in the next instant, they alighted to the air and were gone.

"Reshiram!" White screamed, feeling a piece of her heart tear and a great agony settle in her chest. Despairingly, she looked to N, who had the same look of torture ingrained into his features. She felt as if a part of her had left, and it felt wrong, sick, horrible…

'What's going on?' she thought as she fell to her knees, tears blurring her vision. 'I wasn't this attached to her! Why does this feel so awful?'

A pair of arms encircled her, causing her to stiffen immediately; N was embracing her, tears running down his cheeks. She didn't push him away.

"We'll find them, we need to," he said lowly, he voice a little choked. "The heroes can't be separated from the Legendary Pokemon once they have been captured. When we caught them, we each gave them a little bit of our soul in order to give them true power. That's why it hurts so much."

"Where have they gone?" White managed, finally meeting his eyes.

"I don't know where they went, or why," N responded, uselessly searching the sky. "But we have to find them.


	2. Outrage

_A/N:_ Thanks for the reviews and favs, guys. :) I appreciate it. I'm working on a little piece of art relating to this chapter, although my tablet is kind of being uncooperative, so we'll see. Anyway, enjoy!

xx

White stared at her drink blankly, feeling incredibly lost. After cleaning up the mess which had resulted from that morning's unfortunate events, she had begrudgingly brought N back to her apartment. It had been an hour since they had arrived via flying Pokemon, and the silence was becoming nearly painful.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm feeling just as lost as you are," N said softly, reaching out to place his hand on top of hers. With a wince, the girl pulled it away reflexively; seeing N's hurt look, she sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just don't like being touched, okay?"

"That's not how you were earlier," N replied, still miffed.

"Well, when part of your soul apparently goes missing, it kind of numbs you to everything else," White hissed. She slapped her head. "Sorry, I need to work on my temper. If we're going to accomplish anything, we need to work together, as shitty as that's gonna be."

"I don't think so…" N drifted off, aware that saying any more would most likely ignite unnecessary conflict. He was puzzled as to why she was acting so bitter towards him; after all, it had seemed like they had left off on a good note all of those years ago. Although she had shed tears at first, she had left him with a smile, shouting and waving after him as he had zoomed away on Zekrom's back. All of these years, and he would have expected a better reception from the first person he had ever considered to be a friend. He had thought of her every single day, wondering how her and her spunky Samurott were doing and if she missed him too. Honestly, he would have just let her cold demeanor go and gone his own way (albeit sadly), but it seemed like fate didn't want to travel that path.

Not that he was complaining.

"Osha?" A fuzzy white head appeared in the doorway to the kitchen questioningly, big black eyes quivering in fear.

"Oh, Oshawott, honey," White cried, her distant guise suddenly melting. "It's okay, he won't hurt you. You can come out. I'm sorry, I forgot you were in there."

Fascinated, N watched as the Oshawott eyed him tentatively and then ran over to White, who scooped him up into her arms. Giggling, she nuzzled her nose to his, cuddling him to her breast like a mother would her child. She seemed to lose all sense of where she was and when she was; suddenly, she back to being that carefree, bright-eyed girl who set on an adventure one autumn morning, only wanting to see the world. N, so moved by this scene, readjusted himself to see better.

Hearing the noise of a chair scraping on linoleum, White was immediately grounded. Freezing, she slowly put Oshawott down and told him to go play in her room. Face dusted with red, she turned to N and cleared her throat.

"So, where should we look first?" she asked, her voice composed.

"Uhm, well," N started, thrown off by her cool tone, "I had to do a little more thinking about that, but-"

"And how long do you expect this to take?" she questioned, eyes steely. "I have events to attend and a crazy manager after me to boot."

"Well, I apologize!" N retorted, losing his temper a bit. "I'd think that maybe losing one of your friends would be important enough to put aside your own selfish wants for a little bit!"

"I don't give a damn about that gigantic white monstrosity!" White screamed, internally knowing that that just wasn't the truth. "All she's ever done is cause problems for me! If it weren't for her, I'd be a normal, well-adjusted girl!"

"You used to be," N whispered, suddenly deflated. "You used to be my friend. I don't know this person anymore!"

With childish vigor, the man rose and ran into her room, slamming the door behind him. White could hear an incredulous "OSHAWOTT!", which almost made her laugh. Defeated, she folded her arms in front of her and buried her head in them. It was so like N to run off like a slighted teenage girl. Although he had seemed a bit more mature, White could sense that his naivety was still lurking under the surface. He still wasn't fully used to dealing with tense situations like this.

"I used to be your friend," she whispered to herself, struggling to quell feelings long buried. "Look where that got me."

Straightening, she shook her head. He may have cracked her resolve, but it was by no means broken, and she was going to made sure it stayed that way.

xx

"N," she called out, pressing her back against the door. "Come on, I'm sorry. Let's settle this like adults, okay?"

Hearing nothing in response, she closed her eyes and groaned. White turned the doorknob, surprised to see N holding Oshawott in his lap with an accusing and horrified look on his face. Instantly, she braced herself – she knew what was coming.

"How could you?" he gasped, his face completely drained of blood. "I was wondering where Samurott was! Why didn't you tell me?"

"N…" White managed, desperately fighting back tears. No. She did not want to go there; Samurott's death was still too recent. Talking about that was like rubbing salt into a festering, infected wound, and she could only cease from breaking down for so long.

Scooting a confused Oshawott off his lap, N rose to face White; and suddenly, White realized that N was most definitely, undeniably a man, and a king at that. She had only thought of him a boy, and now it seemed as if he had done some growing in the last few years – his powerful posture and flashing, demanding eyes were evidence enough.

"You are a heartless bitch," he snarled, gripping her shoulders painfully, not caring as she winced. "You caused the death of your dearest friend, and you can't even be bothered to care!"

"I…I didn't mean to," the girl said in a wavering voice. She was going to…no, she couldn't. She just had to hold on for a little longer. "I…she was…"

"You don't deserve the title of hero!" N growled, digging his nails deeper. "I hope you never find Reshiram. You deserve to die the most painful death possible after all of the suffering you've caused! You probably tortured the poor thing, you-"

"SHUT UP!"

Tears were freely flowing from White's eyes, and she wrenched herself from his grip and slapped him, hard. Oshawott whimpered and scurried under the bed, hiding from further conflict, afraid that it would be directed towards him. Her breathing was erratic, panicked, but she didn't care about composure anymore. N was shocked speechless, so she went on.

"Don't you think I know what I've done? Don't you think I suffer for it every single day of my pathetic existence? Don't you think that I wish I actually gave enough of a shit to prevent her death? You don't know what it's like to be totally abandoned by your friends, to have no one, to lose all hope!"

"You had your mother and your Pokemon," he retorted, regaining his ability to speak. "What about them?"

"I loved you," she choked out, suddenly meek. "And you left me. Cheren and Bianca left me. Everyone I ever cared about left Unova to go on some miscellaneous adventure, and I was left behind. It hurt more than anything, and I'm sorry that I allowed those around me to suffer! And Samurott…"

She trailed off, too emotional to continue. Without another word, she turned and left, slamming shut the door to the apartment.

xx

'I loved you.'

The confession burned brilliantly in N's mind, and he felt a rush of nausea course through his body. Of course. How could he have been so stupid? Oh, he understood how he could've been so stupid, but looking back, the hero knew he should have realized what had really been going on. At the time, he had believed that she had been perfectly content in his absence, and all the while she had been in turmoil.

_3 years before_

"_N," she said softly, touching his shoulder gently. "Will they be okay?"_

"_I think so," he responded, cheered that she had thought of his friends._

"_So you're going to leave?"_

"_Yeah."_

_Her eyes had widened, and a flash of confusion and pain painted them for a brief moment; then, she looked down and managed a small smile._

"_I'll miss you, N."_

"_And I, you. But we'll always be friends…right?"_

"_Yeah."_

_A short embrace, then nothing more. Mounting Zekrom, he spared her one final, meaningful glance. Tears ran down her cheeks; tears, he reasoned, of happiness._

"_Goodbye."_

Remembering his departure sobered him even more, although it didn't make what had happened to Samurott excusable in the slightest. Still…somehow, he felt as if a lot of it were indirectly his fault. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't felt anything for her back then. He still felt that way now. After all, he had come back, hadn't he? Something had pulled him back to her, an invisible, unbreakable cord.

"I loved you too," he said to himself, quietly. Oshawott crawled out from under the bed, sparing a tentative glance. N smiled. "Come here. Don't be scared."

With a nod, the otter Pokemon hopped up next to N, giving him a quizzical look; he was still confused with the events from earlier, and this man seemed really sad. His trainer had also been upset, more upset than he had seen her in awhile.

"Osha?"

"There's a lot wrong, little one," N said forlornly, clasping his hands together.

"Osha, wott wott."

"I know. She's really hurt, deep inside. And I'm kind of the reason," he chuckled humorlessly, a frown touching his lips.

"Oshawott, osha?."

To this, N was completely silent. _I think I know who you are, _Oshawott had said. _She would cry about someone at night, along with her other meanie friends. Are you that other person? _

So, she wasn't completely lost. N knew now what he had to do, besides coaxing the dragons to return. He was going to pull her out of this apathetic lull and show her what it was like to be human again – something he had learned himself over the past three years.

How ironic.

xx

She didn't return to the apartment until well after midnight, having taken a lengthy walk around the city and then settling at her favorite bar. Admittedly, she wasn't totally sober – although she wasn't black-out drunk either. A nice, albeit heavy buzz was all she needed; she wasn't some lowlife alcoholic, thank you very much. Locking the door, she turned to see an empty living room and kitchen. With a sigh, she realized that N had probably left several hours ago, which confused and frustrated her. They still needed to search for the dragons – how would she know where to find him? Opening the door to her room answered that question, and she didn't know whether to be extremely pissed or squeal at the adorable sight before her.

Splayed out over her bed was N, his hair down and in disarray. Finally able to take things in after such a hectic morning, White noticed that his hair was shorter than it had been three years ago, and now fell to a little past his shoulders his shoulders. His eyes were closed, and his chest was rising and falling with the regularity of someone in very deep sleep. Next to him, little Oshawott was snuggled into the crook of his arm, squeaky snores whistling from his mouth. Moonlight bathed them both with an otherworldly sheen which caught White's breath in her throat. Mesmerized, she padded over slowly, wonder shining in her eyes – and then she was that 16 year old girl again, amazed by the beauty of the world. A lock of hair was covering N's face, so she leaned over to push it away with trembling fingers. His lightly cracked lips were slightly parted in the most beckoning way. The alcohol getting the better of her, she dipped her head and gently pressed her mouth against his. Sweet – his lips were so sweet, she thought dizzily, as mini Volcaronas coursed throughout her body, fluttering and flaming.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice a bit slurred. "I'ma bitch, I know."

Without thought for consequences, White removed her shoes and crawled into bed next to him. Instinctively, N draped an arm around her and cuddled up to her until they were spooning comfortably. Exhaling softly, the girl drifted off into a mercifully dreamless sleep.


	3. Sandstorm

A/N: Again, thank you very much for the reviews. :) I did a little piece of art for this story - nothing special, just some quick lineart. If anyone wants to color it, please feel free. Anyway: http (forward slash) (forward slash) i55 (dot) tinypic (dot) com (forward slash) 1675nrd (dot) png

Just replace the stuff in parenthesis with the actual punctuation, and you're good to go. Otherwise, enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

When N awoke the next morning, he did not expect to be cradling a snoring White in his arms with a snoozing Oshawott between them – but, he had reasoned, who was he to complain? Inhaling deeply, he re-closed his eyes. Rays of sunlight were streaming in from a small window, caressing him and her in the light and warmth of the morning. The sounds of cars rushing by and the occasional far-off siren provided comfortable background noise which lapped against his ears like gentle ocean waves. A smile touched his lips. Everything was wonderful right now - he could forget that White probably hated him, he could forget that his greatest ally and friend had fled from him. He could just lie with _her_ by his side. It was kind of funny, actually. He had been searching for years to find himself, and the moment he had felt most whole in all of that time was right now, in the present. The warm drowsiness circling through his heavy body made him sigh with pleasure, and he pulled his dear friend closer, much to the chagrin of a certain young Pokemon who keened angrily in his sleep. This sound was just enough to stir White from sleep.

"N?"

N reluctantly opened his eyes and sent a sheepish grin towards the confused young woman who was becoming more enraged by the second.

"Would you mind telling me what the _hell_ you're doing in my bed?"

In sudden realization, White's eyes widened and she paled considerably.

"Oh, sweet baby Arceus. We didn't…did we?"

"No, no!" N responded hastily, scrambling to sit up. So much for the peace he had felt a few moments ago. "Take a look at yourself – you're still fully clothed. I promise that I didn't do anything!"

Relaxing, White slowly recalled last night as the sleep-induced haze dissipated. Her cheeks becoming red, she realized that _she_ had been the one to crawl into bed with him. And the kiss...oh, wow. A change of subject would be the best course of action, she decided.

"So, are we planning on leaving today?" she asked with a yawn, removing herself from the bed.

Thrown off yet again by her odd composure, N nodded. "Uh, yeah. I thought that we could perhaps check out the western part of Unova. Apparently, there is a place called the Giant Chasm out that way, and legends say that there is a third mythical dragon called Kyurem who dwells there."

"Well," White sighed, throwing her hair into a messy bun, "Legends have had a nasty habit of coming true for the last several years of my life, and a particularly nasty habit of involving me...so I guess that doesn't seem too far-fetched."

"Besides," N added, smoothing out his clothes. "Where else would they go? It would only make sense for them to seek out the third dragon."

"That does make sense," agreed White. Finishing her hopeless preening in the mirror, the trainer turned and looked her former adversary up and down. "Are you going to be ready to go? Do you have all of your stuff packed up?"

"Yeah, it's still in your kitchen. I didn't move it."

"Good, go freshen up. I want to get out of here shortly. The sooner we find them, the better."

Xx

A full day after the disappearance of the dragons, and the pair were finally on the road. They had agreed not to fly, but to walk the entire way, just in case they inadvertently missed anything. White was already wincing after two hours, not as used to walking as she had been at sixteen. Despite the fact that she was wearing her old boots complete with comfy in-soles, she could already feel blisters beginning to develop on her feet. Not to mention the hot, hot sand. Oshawott had lasted all of a half an hour, finally tiring after his stubbly flipper-legs couldn't handle any more strain. He was now perched on White's shoulder, curiously taking in the scenery of Route 4, as he had never been beyond Castelia City. Even though the sand stung his face, he still was too fascinated to look away.

Occasionally, a wild Sandile would pop out of a dune with a screech and scurry by, not paying the group a second glance. More would join him, and then the pack would without warning bury themselves into the sand again. Roaming packs of brave Scraggy sometimes became bold enough to challenge White and N, but would disperse soon after being confronted with White's beautiful yet deadly Lilligant or N's menacing Zoroark (hey, not even a Pokemon tough guy was suicidal). Trainers (usually of the backpacking sort) stopped them from time to time, awed at the great hero's presence. Some would coo and pet Oshawott, offering him treats. White would put on her fake smile and exuberance and dish out a few autographs - none were bold enough to challenge her, although she could see the desire to in the eyes of a few. It didn't matter - she didn't really trust herself to battle after what had happened to Samurott, so she would have refused anyway. After a few more hours of this song and dance, White thought it safe to classify herself as "miserable."

"N, do you know if we're almost to Nimbasa?" White asked, trying her best not to let fatigue show in her tone. She didn't want to seem weak to anyone, especially him.

"I'd say another few hours," N replied. "Are you tired? We can stop and rest if you want, but otherwise we should be in Nimbasa by nightfall."

"I'm fine," White said, too tired to be bitchy. "Let's just keep going. I can't wait to get to that Pokemon Center and take a nice, long bath…"

Xx

Finally.

After what was probably the most grueling six hours of her life, here it was.

Damn, how did she_ ever_ deal with this?

White nearly drooled upon reaching the door of the center, her sand-blasted body instantly relaxing in preparation for a steamy bath or shower – either one would be heaven, and she forgot what amenities the Nimbasa Pokemon Center offered. She sat Oshawott down. He took a few wobbly steps forward, exhausted himself. Breathlessly thanking the Audino who held the door open for her and N, she dragged herself to the front desk and asked for a room, as if it were the most valuable and treasured item in all of Unova.

_Bliss, pure bliss…soon…_

"-we're very, very sorry for the inconvenience..uhm, Miss White? Are you okay?"

"Wait, what did you say?" White asked, not hearing the first time.

"We're out of rooms, unfortunately. We do have space for you to set up a camp outside of the center, though."

With a moan, White promptly passed out, a very startled N rushing to catch her.

"Will she be okay?" asked the nurse, concerned. An Audino was already on the scene, helping N gather the unconscious girl in his arms.

"Yeah, she's just a little tired," N replied, balancing himself. _And a little out of practice, _he mused with a smirk. "We have the necessary equipment, so we should be fine. Thank you, friends."

"No problem," smiled the nurse. "Just come back in if you need anything."

"Aud, aud!"

Xx

Setting up a tent was a task which N had mastered over the years. He could do it under any condition: sick, drunk, during inclement weather – you name it. But for some reason, White's presence (even though she was currently unconscious) made it difficult. He caught himself staring at her several times, admiring the way her hair fanned out behind her or the way her clothing clung to her body. Despite being socially and emotionally stunted for his age, he was still a man and still noticed an attractive woman. Most of all, he noticed how much better she looked without a frown constantly affixed to her features. Her stress had melted away in sleep, and what remained was a girlish innocence he thought she had lost long ago.

N sighed and ran a few fingers through his hair. He had forgotten how beautiful she really was. If only she still reciprocated…but that was a mere pipe-dream now. There had come a time when he had wanted to be with her always, and her only – the Pokemon he had grown up with had called this notion "taking a mate." After leaving Unova, the confused man had had several conversations with his Zoroark about such things, and they both had come to the conclusion that N wanted White as his mate, although in a more human sense. However, N felt as if he needed time to become more human – and then he would return to her. What he did not expect upon his return was a broken husk of the girl he had fallen in love with, and her actions continued to hurt him deeply. Still, he held out hope, because sometimes he observed fleeting glimpses of the old White, especially when she was around her Pokemon. He figured that he ought to banish such thoughts from his mind for now due to the current circumstances, but it was a nice daydream.

As he was finishing setting up the tent, N realized that White hadn't brought one with her, from what he could tell. A glance up at the dark, clear sky told him that it most likely wouldn't rain tonight, so he would be safe sleeping outside. One useful thing Ghetsis _had_ taught him was to always, always be a gentleman.

Careful not to jostle her, N gently pulled White into his arms and crawled into the tent. He had already opened the tattered sleeping bag for her, so he set her into it and zipped it up. Oshawott, who had been quietly watching N, snuggled into her hair and closed his eyes tightly, well on his way to the dream world.

"Sweet dreams, White," N murmured, pressing his lips against her forehead tenderly. As he turned to go, he thought he saw movement; upon looking back, however, all he saw was the trainer and her Pokemon, fast asleep. With a shrug, he crawled back out of the tent and into his sleeping bag.

Xx

Her heart was racing, and she couldn't calm her thoughts. _Oh, come on, _she reasoned with herself. _It was just an innocent gesture, stop acting like some hormone-crazed teenager. You're just stressed, that's all. _

Yeah. That was it.

It's not like she still loved him or anything. Although she couldn't deny that his cool lips hadn't felt good…

Groaning, she buried herself deeper into her sleeping bag, trying to block out all of those bad thoughts. She'd feel better tomorrow, after some much-needed sleep.

Xx

Someone was coming.

Oshawott's ears twitched and he tensed, hearing footsteps come closer to the campsite. It wasn't the nice green man, either. A foreign scent crept into his nose – it smelled like flowers, and almost how White smelled after a bath, but more refined in a way. Clean and sweet.

Careful not to disturb his trainer, the young Pokemon wormed his way out of his sleeping spot and peeked out of the tent.

A hooded figure was standing over N's sleeping bag, yet somehow it didn't seem menacing. Delicate hands reached up to pull away the hood to reveal the face beneath; Oshawott strained to see.

The face of a woman appeared, and a very beautiful one at that. She said a few soft words to the sleeping man, ones which Oshawott could not hear enough to understand, although she sounded very sad. His curiosity getting the better of him, he wandered out into the night.

"Osha?"

Startled, the woman jumped a bit, but soon relaxed and allowed a large grin to overtake her countenance. She dropped to the earth, kneeling before the creature.

"Hello, sweet one," she whispered, reaching out a hand which Oshawott sniffed. "Do you belong to Miss White?"

Oshawott nodded.

"She's a wonderful young lady, don't you think? Both of your friends are," she said, gesturing to N. "Take good care of them, okay? You'll be seeing me again, I think."

Her eyes twinkling, the woman rose to her feet and turned to leave, melting back into the dark of the night.

* * *

A/N: Spooooky! Stuff is actually starting to develop, rather than just N and White angsting continuously! Also, more of N's feelings, thoughts, and concerns. I really enjoy writing his character. I mean, obviously he's still not quite at the point he should be emotionally, but he's definitely gotten better since the events of the game. His internal struggle is interesting, though - he still identifies more with Pokemon rather than humans in some ways. I dunno, hopefully my characterization isn't too far off - after all, three years is a long time and lots can happen to maturity. :)

Also, I see that quite a few of you have favorited or alerted this story. Thanks! If you could take some time to perhaps give me a review, that would be greatly, greatly appreciated.


	4. Façade

A/N: Aaaand here's the next chapter! This one's a big one, I think. Things might get a smidge slower from here on out, due to the fact that finals are rapidly approaching and I really need to devote more of my time to studying. As always, thank you all for the kind words. Please enjoy!

* * *

When White woke up the next morning, the very first thing she did was hurry into the Pokemon Center with a change of clothes (and a very grumpy Oshawott in tow), practically demanding a bath or shower or even a hose to clean herself. The nurse, a bit frightened, had shakily given the agitated trainer a key and pointed in the direction of the free baths and showers. After thanking the woman profusely, White entered the washroom and closed the door behind her. She sighed, finally a tiny bit content.

She stepped out of her incredibly sandy clothes and turned the knobs of the bath, adjusting the heat. When there was a good amount of steam rising from the water, and after rinsing her feet and other excessively sandy places, she forced the stopper into the drain. Turning to Oshawott, she smiled sweetly and leaned down to pick him up.

"Osh!" he cried, excited for bath time. Being a water Pokemon, he loved any excuse to get his fur wet.

"Ready?" White asked, holding him above the rather large tub. After a nod from her friend, she promptly dropped him into the bath, laughing as she was covered in water from the giant splash which resulted. Stepping in herself, she settled into the blissfully hot water, covering herself up to her chin.

"That's much better," White muttered. Closing her eyes, she winced. The ache from Reshiram's absence was still there, no matter how much she tried to focus on other things. However, it was starting to become duller, as if she were becoming accustomed to it. She had to wonder if N's excessively emotional state had resulted from the event. As for herself, she had definitely noticed an increase in mood swings and a decrease in her ability to control them. The sooner they met this supposed Kyurem, the better.

But wait. How were they even going to make the thing appear, much less capture it, or whatever they were planning to do? Summoning Reshiram had required the use of the Light Stone, and White had a sneaking feeling that Kyurem would require a similar sort of artifact to show his ugly face. Groaning, she slipped her head under the water for a few seconds. They'd figure it out eventually, if her past record with legendaries was any indicator. Surfacing, she gasped for breath and allowed the excess water to cascade off of her. Oshawott swam over and crawled on to her shoulder, attempting to hug her head in some gesture of comfort.

"Osha."

"Thanks, Oshawott," she murmured. "Although I don't know if hugs are going to solve this one."

Xx

"So, what do you want to do today, White?"

White glanced over at N, chewing on a particularly juicy Cheri Berry thoughtfully. A large pair of sunglasses were covering her eyes, just in case any excitable happened to be around.

"There's a lot to do in Nimbasa," he continued, pulling out a map of the city. "We don't need to continue on directly. I don't want you to wear yourself out. I think it's best if we're both in the best spirits possible going forward."

"Despite everything else," White said quietly, staring at the horizon forlornly. N sighed. He knew that the absence of the dragons was affecting her just acutely as it was him.

"Well, there's always the Ferris Wheel," he suggested, trying to take her mind off of the dilemma at hand. "I'd at least like to ride that before leaving."

"Hah," she snorted, amused. "I remember the last time we rode that thing together. Hopefully you don't have another weird confession to make."

"I don't think so," he replied, smiling a little. He did have a few things to say to her, but now wasn't the time. At least he didn't think so. "Let's go do that, okay?"

"Sure," she said nonchalantly, giving the rest of the berry to Oshawott, who hungrily gobbled it down.

The Ferris Wheel was as ridiculously splendid as she had remembered it to be. Cute little Pokeball seats spun around the center, and the whole contraption was covered in enough flashing lights to give a kid a seizure. The last time White had ridden it had been with N, and she was a little bit amused that she had come full circle.

Up, up, and up, until they reached the top and paused for a whole minute, then down, down, down, back to the bottom. White took her sunglasses off, as they were now away from prying eyes. Oshawott had his paws and puffy nose pressed against the glass, uttering awed vocalizations at every interesting thing he saw. N noticed how White was smiling at the little otter as if he were a child, the cheery midday sun catching in her eyes like it would in an elaborate stained glass window. N couldn't help himself; he leaned forward, staring at her intensely. It was now or never.

Noticing the movement, White turned and was surprised to see N very, very close to her. Her face heated up immediately, and before she could open her mouth to say a single word, he was kissing her.

Time froze as he gently moved his lips against hers. He wasn't very experienced – that was obvious – but White found herself enjoying it (reluctantly, she reminded herself) anyway. Raising his hand to her face, he cupped her cheek and then pulled away, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I know I said I didn't have any confessions to make," he breathed, caressing her hot face with a few fingers. "I'm sorry. I told myself I'd have more self-control, especially due to our circumstances, but I guess I'm not nearly as strong-willed as I thought I was."

"N, I…" she said, her parted lips quivering. Heat was pooling within her; she desperately tried to quell it.

"I'm sorry for leaving you back then, White. I'm so sorry."

The last part was broken, as he choked harshly on his words, as if they were a bitter cough syrup. Still under his spell, White merely nodded dumbly.

"I didn't realize it back then," he continued, tears freely forming in his eyes. "I didn't realize I'd be hurting you so much. I didn't mean to abandon you. I didn't realize how I felt about you, how I feel about you now."

He was so beautifully, innocently honest.

"N, don't," she protested weakly; he pressed a warm finger to her mouth, hushing her.

"I love you."

"I'm sorry, N," White said, finally (and regretfully, even though she wouldn't admit it) pulling away from him. "I can't. I just can't."

"White…" he gasped, the tears falling more rapidly now. "Please. I could take care of you. I'll never abandon you again, I promise. I'm not a boy anymore. These past three years, I've learned how to be a man. I've learned what human emotions are, and although I'm not perfect, I'm trying."

The Ferris Wheel had reached its final rotation, and was stopped at its peak.

"N…" The tone in White's voice was halting, with a hint of warning behind it. N quickly grabbed her hands and fell to his knees in a last ditch effort to convince her. In his youth, he had often read stories of knights and princes begging for the love of his lady – and was he not a king in his own right? Realistically, he knew that he probably sounded pathetic, but perhaps humbling himself before her would change her mind somehow.

"White, please hear me out," he begged. "I want to be by your side always. I did back then, I just didn't realize what it was. I thought that I was just being weak, just being a fool. I want to hold you at night, I want to kiss you, I want to laugh with you, I want to cry with you – White, I want to be your mate! Please, allow me to at least try."

"You _are_ a fool, N Harmonia," White hissed bitterly, wrenching her hands out of his grip. She knew that she probably sounded more sure of herself than she actually was. "I'm nothing but a shell of a human being. You went out to find your humanity, I lost mine in the process. I may have loved you at one time, but I can't feel that anymore. You're just wasting your time."

"I…" N wanted to argue. He wanted to tell that she was wrong, that he loved her regardless. But he didn't have the will to go anymore, and his heart was clenching painfully within his chest. It took all of his strength to remove himself from the floor and cease the tears. He replaced them with a stony, neutral look. "You're right. I am a fool. I'm sorry for bothering you with my childish notions. I should know better."

White didn't speak. Instead, she reached out for Oshawott, who had been quietly listening to the whole conversation, and placed him in her lap. They rode out the duration of the ride in silence.

Xx

That night, White couldn't sleep. They had continued their endless trek eastward of Nimbasa onto Route 16 in total silence, only speaking to ask the other about taking breaks or discussing when and where to stop for the night. N had kept an impervious poker face for the most part, which intrigued White. She had expected him to push the matter more but was glad that he at least respected her opinions. Still, something within her ached horridly, and it wasn't Reshiram's absence.

"I almost feel like I want him to chase after me," she whispered to Oshawott, who was tightly curled up next to her. She had insisted that N sleep in the tent, so she was currently camped out beneath the stars somewhere within the woods of Route 16.

"Osha…"

Although she couldn't understand him exactly, the trainer got the gist of what he was trying to communicate.

"I know, that's really bad." She winced, realizing that she probably sounded like some crazy, fickle bitch.

"Oshawott. Osha!"

"I don't know what I think anymore." Sighing, White rolled roughly onto her back and listelessly stared up at the swirling sky. The moon was full tonight, giving off a peculiar yellow glow. Somewhere out there, Reshiram and Zekrom were probably staring at the same moon together, waiting for their heroes to retrieve them. The sooner they found them, the sooner this mess would be over, and the sooner she could go back to living her boring, uneventful life in Castelia City.

"It sounds like you're very conflicted, young lady."

White's heart skipped a beat, and she turned around as fast as a startled Deerling. A strange cloaked woman was standing a few feet away, although her stance didn't seem at all threatening. With a jovial yelp, Oshawott immediately jumped to his feet and ran over to the woman, smiling broadly. Watching this incredulously, White wondered if perhaps Oshawott was on some sort of strange new Poke-drug.

"Who are you?" the girl demanded, clumsily rising to her feet. Looking at herself, she blushed a little. She probably didn't seem too threatening in bright yellow Emolga pajama bottoms.

"Just a friendly face," the woman replied, stepping out of the shadows and into the light of the moon. "It sounds like you need a fellow woman to talk to."

The woman's face seemed very gentle, and White guessed her to be about as old as her mother, maybe a little older. Relaxing slightly, she decided to give the stranger the benefit of the doubt, although it was a little weird for someone to show up at your campsite in the middle of the night. Maybe she was just one of those weird homeless people who were totally harmless but just needed someone to rave to about the man or the government spying on them. White knew that if anything escalated in the wrong direction, she had her Pokemon to protect her. She understood that not too many people had a keen desire to be disemboweled by a raging Hydreigon.

"Uh, okay. You can come and sit down, if you'd like."

"Why, thank you, Miss," the woman smiled, removing her hood and coming to sit. A large amount of wavy silver hair spilled out, framing her beautiful face. _Looks like that nixes the homeless theory,_ White thought, interested. _No homeless person has hair that great._ "It's been quite awhile since I spoke to a girl your age. What's your name?"

"White," the girl replied, a little confused as to why this person didn't know her name. It's not as if she were conceited, but most people instantly recognized the heroine of all of Unova on sight. "And yours?"

"You may call me Athena."

"Athena…that's an interesting name. Isn't there a goddess named that?" White asked, picking up Oshawott and cradling him in her lap. Somehow, some way, she felt at ease with the woman.

"Yes, indeed there is," Athena said with a nod. "She was a goddess of wisdom. But between you and me, sometimes I don't believe that is very fitting."

"Well, you're very beautiful like a goddess," White blurted out, then covered her mouth with a blush. "Erm, sorry."

With a laugh that sounded like the ringing of tiny bells, Athena shook her head.

"No, don't worry, dear. I thank you for the kind words. Now, what is it that you're troubled about?"

"It's a long story," White sighed, looking down at her feet. "But it has to do with a man."

"Ah, man troubles. Can't live with them, can't live without them." The older woman's ivy green eyes sparkled with mirth, but also a hint of sadness.

"Yeah," White responded, noticing with a smile that Oshawott was close to conking out. "He loves me, a lot. And I used to love him too. But I'm not sure if I'm ready to forgive him for abandoning me awhile back. Actually, a lot of people I know have abandoned me. How am I supposed to trust him or anyone else?" Shaking her head, White exhaled harshly. "I'm sorry. I'm ranting."

"No, dear," Athena cooed, reaching out to place her hand over the younger woman's. "I understand -exactly how you feel. I used to love someone very much. I still do. But he left me - in spirit, at least - years ago to go chase after a silly dream, leaving me heartbroken. It took me all of those years to forgive him for that, although I never saw him again. I'd still very much like to meet him again and tell him that despite all of that, I love him."

"It's just so frustrating!" White mumbled. "How do you forgive someone for hurting you?"

"You don't until you're ready. You simply try to get along in the meantime – never force anything. You wouldn't want to end up hating him. What's this man like, anyway?"

"Well, he's sleeping in that tent over there," White suddenly giggled, feeling a little silly. However, this was soon replaced with a contemplative frown. "He's so…oh, I don't know! He has a way with Pokemon, but he's so incredibly innocent. He's gentle and caring, but sometimes easily manipulated. His baggage count is astronomical. I don't even know how I feel about him anymore – it's so confusing."

"You shouldn't be too hard on him for his past," Athena said, tilting her head. "We're all victims of circumstance at one point or another."

"I know," White muttered. "But it's hard to love someone when you can't even forgive them."

"I understand." Looking back into the inky black forest, Athena gave a short, shrill whistle. Some leaves rustled, and suddenly, a large blue Pokemon shot out of the brush. He trotted over to them, and snorting quietly at the woman, he nuzzled her hair lovingly. White stared at the scene in unabashed awe – it was the mythical Pokemon, Cobalion.

"That's…how did you…" she whispered, placing Oshawott on the ground and then standing shakily. "He's beautiful."

Athena beamed brilliantly at her as she mounted the great beast.

"I know, and he thanks you for the compliment. But I must be going now, Miss White. Please consider stopping by my home in White Forest sometime. It's just east of here - just cross the Marvelous Bridge and travel along Route 15. I'll be waiting for you. You may just find some of the answers you've been looking for."

"I'll be certain to," White said softly, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. "Thank you very much for speaking to me."

"You're welcome. And I don't mean to act all motherly here – but please, get some sleep, darling. Your problems will be fixed soon enough, I promise."

Athena winked at her. With a slap to Cobalion's rump, she disappeared into the forest, leaving White to ponder the odd yet strangely enlightening encounter.

"White?"

At the sound of the familiar voice, White turned around to face a sleepy but concerned N.

"Who were you talking to just now?"

"Oh, no one. Just a friend." She yawned, stretching her arms out in an exaggerated fashion. "I'm going to head to bed, okay?"

N looked at her oddly for a second, then nodded hesitantly. "All right. Wake me if you need anything. And White?"

"Yeah?"

"I still care about you," he said with a sleepy grin, "and I'm not going to stop anytime soon, so you can give me all the silent treatment you want. We're still friends regardless of what you believe."

Leaning over, he kissed her on the forehead and then crawled back into the tent, looking very Sewaddle-like as he did so. White sighed, feeling more conflicted than ever as she laid back down and finally slept.


	5. Reversal

**A/N: **A new chapter! Finals are finally(heh) over, so hopefully I'll be posting more chapters faster! Many thanks to MadameJelly for an awesome beta reading job. Enjoy!

* * *

"Yes, Oshawott," White giggled, grabbing her frantic friend and pulling him down from his precarious position on her shoulder. "I see. There are other Oshawott playing over there."

Pacing over to a railing, she carefully balanced the little Pokemon so that he would have a better and less dangerous viewpoint. Below, four other Oshawott were swimming and playing without a care in the warm spring sun. White's called out to them, waving his stubby little arms frantically. More than once the girl had to grab on to him, keeping him from taking an unfortunate plunge into the river below. The other otter Pokemon glanced up and called back to him. They leapt out of the water and blew several playful Bubblebeams in their direction. After awhile, a comparatively massive Samurott surfaced and watched over the group protectively. The sudden appearance of such a familiar Pokemon sent a pang through White's heart, but she continued to let Oshawott talk to them.

The Marvelous Bridge truly lived up to its name. The high-tech structure was breathtaking on such a clear day, sparkling under the afternoon light. Flocks of Ducklett were perched on the supporting arches of the bridge, quacking loudly to each other, and several different species of water Pokemon frolicked in the river below. N was leaning against a rail, enjoying the wind coursing against his body and the sight of so many different Pokemon getting along in the wild. Although he had gotten far past the point where he wanted to control the lives of others, he still felt highly uncomfortable with the idea of keeping Pokemon confined in a Pokeball for lengthy amounts of time. In the spirit of this he released Zoroark, the one other Pokemon he always carried with him besides Zekrom.

"Zor?" the fox-like Pokemon questioned softly.

"Isn't this lovely, friend?" N asked kindly, breathing in the fresh air. Zoroark studied him curiously for a moment and then copied his actions.

"Zor! Zor!"

By this time, Oshawott noticed that Zoroark had been let out of his Pokeball. Having never seen the other Pokemon before, he immediately hopped off of the railing and wobbled over, questioning the larger beast with a small 'Osh?' Zoroark glanced down at the little creature and seemed to smile. He picked up Oshawott and set him on his shoulder, something which delighted the otter; he proceeded to busy himself with exploring Zoroark's interesting and very fluffy mane.

"That's adorable," said White, a slight smile upon her face. She really didn't have the heart to be a total bitch towards N anymore. It was as if they had reached some sort of unspoken truce, especially after last night's encounter.

"Yes," N replied, happily watching the two Pokemon playing. It seemed as if Oshawott had found an unexpected new friend, something for which N was glad. It looked like he wasn't going to be recalling Zoroark any time soon, not that he minded. He turned to White. "Let's stop here for lunch."

Pulling two substantial sandwiches out of her bottomless bag, White handed one to N and strolled back over to the railing of the bridge. She plopped down rather ungracefully and let her legs dangle free, using the railing as slight support. Joining her, N unwrapped his sandwich and then eyed her for a long moment.

"So, would you mind telling me who that woman was?"

White shot an exasperated glare towards N. It was painfully obvious that he wasn't going to let the matter drop any time soon, so she figured she might as well share what she knew.

"I really don't know," she replied thickly, her mouth full of turkey and bread. "She literally appeared out of nowhere and, uhm, we talked about…men. Then she disappeared on the back of a Cobalion. It was really freaking weird, actually. Oshawott has apparently met her before."

"You talked about men?" N smirked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, come on! That's the most interesting thing about that encounter to you?" White cried in annoyance. Seeing his expression, she knew that she wouldn't be able to dodge this one."Okay, fine. I told her about you, okay? Happy? Jeez, you didn't really need me to spell it out for you."

"Yes, I really did," N said in a mock-serious tone. Shoving the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth, he chewed it thoughtfully, savoring the flavor. "So did this mysterious forest lady have a name?"

"Yeah, she did, now that you mention it. It was Athena."

Upon hearing a strangled gasp immediately followed by choking sounds, White turned rapidly to see N quite unable to breathe. As fast as her reflexes allowed, she smacked his shaking back as hard as possible, dislodging the guilty sandwich bit. It dropped down into the water below with a small 'plunk' noise. Immediately, several Basculin surfaced to devour it.

"Are you okay, N?" White asked, concerned.

"I know someone by that name," he said too quickly, eyes wary. White was instantly reminded of the old N as she felt her stomach drop. This couldn't be good.

"You do?" she asked, incredulous. "I mean, it's not as if it's a common name…"

He didn't say anything; instead, he stared down at his hands and then slowly rose to his feet, balling his hands into fists as he did so. When he looked to White again, his features were contorted with concentrated rage.

"I get it. You think you're being funny, do you?" he growled, eyes flashing dangerously. "Just shut up, White. Leave me alone. I understand that my advances were unwanted, but this is just low. I know that you've talked to Anthea and Concordia, but I never expected them to tell you that much."

"N, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"You are such a lowlife," N said, his voice wavering slightly. White wanted to say something to comfort him, to deny his claims, but instantly thought better of it. He was too sensitive, his emotions too volatile at the moment. "Let's just get out of here. The sooner I can get away from you, the better."

Xx

The entire time she was travelling along Route 15, White could not cease her wondering about N's strong reaction to hearing Athena's name. Had he really known the mysterious woman? What was his relation to her? Was she another goddess, like Anthea and Concordia? That would make sense, she reasoned, what with a name like Athena. Mostly, however, White was hurt by his reaction, although she knew that she shouldn't have been very surprised. The way she had treated N was thoroughly despicable, regardless of whether or not she harbored ill feelings towards him. Furthermore, what about those supposed "ill feelings?" White was beginning to suspect that maybe, just maybe, they were more directed towards herself, but as a defense mechanism, she had projected them on to N.

It was too easy – after all, he was the perfect scapegoat. She admitted that she had some major issues, but it wasn't easy for her to face them. The heroine knew perfectly well that she had been entirely too melodramatic about herself and N on the Ferris Wheel the previous day. What was she running from? Although she wasn't so sure about love, she knew that her heart sped up and her stomach fluttered when she was around him, and that had to be something, right? It was like nothing had ever changed in his absence, and that frustrated her – she thought that she had matured beyond being the typical starry-eyed, idealistic teenage girl. Anyway, it wasn't like he was abandoning her now, which was especially important in this time of need. Instead, he had stepped up and offered his help and support, all the while weathering her cold attitude towards him. He had acted more human than her.

It was then that White realized the truth – _she_ was the fool. It had been her this entire time, not N. Now was the time to act like the adult she prided herself on being and apologize.

The object of her distress was walking in front of her, as stoic as he had been three years ago, and that fact made her even more resolute. She wanted – no – _needed_ to fix this. Summoning all of her courage, she reached her arms out and wrapped them around his torso, clinging tightly. Closing her eyes, she inhaled his familiar scent and tensed herself, waiting for his response.

He stopped.

"White?"

"N, I'm sorry," she whispered. "I seriously have been acting like the biggest bitch there is. I shouldn't have shot you down like that on the Ferris Wheel. I can't say that I love you, but you mean a lot to me, and I'm so stupid for ignoring that. I forgive you for everything. Damn it, I shouldn't even be saying that. I should be asking for your forgiveness."

N grabbed her wrists, although gently, and removed them from around his body, turning to face a very crestfallen White. However, he immediately took her into the fold of his arms and rested his chin on her head, not saying a single word.

"And I seriously do not know who that Athena woman is, but she told me to stop by her house in the White Forest which is just beyond here," White blurted out, her entire body quivering. "I didn't mean to hurt you at all, and maybe we can stop by her house and sort things out. Please, please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, White," he sighed, looking down upon her. Dear Arceus, he had never wanted to see those eyes again. They were the same pleading, anguished eyes he had seen on the day he left, when he left her and Unova far behind him. "I did overreact. And we will definitely stop by her home. If that woman is who I think she is…" He trailed off, shaking his head. Now was not the time. Instead, he grabbed her chin and lifted it until they were eye to eye.

"You're forgiven. I'm just glad that you've finally opened up to me. I think that we both just need to calm down a little."

"Thank you, N," she said, smiling her first honest smile in a long time. "You're a wonderful person. Just please, give me time to think about the whole…love thing, okay?"

"Of course," he replied, placing his hands on her shoulders and reluctantly separating himself from her. "I'm not trying to pressure you at all. Just seeing you happy again is enough for me."

White didn't speak. The grin on her face did all of the talking for her, saying more than she could ever hope to. Turning, she looked towards the east, towards White Forest, towards that mysterious woman.

"Let's go, then," she cried out, throwing an arm into the air as some of her old exuberance filled her body once more. She ran ahead, forcing a pleasantly surprised N and his Zoroark to chase after her. For now, at least, things were looking up.

Xx

As the sea of trees that was White Forest began to come into view, N became increasingly quieter, and White could sense a major vibe of anxiety emanating from him. It was starting cause even her to be on edge as well, so in a hesitant gesture of comfort, she reached out and took his hand in hers as they walked on, smoothing her thumb over his palm. Shooting her a distracted but sweet smile, N continued to chew on his already raw lower lip in worry. The majestic, centuries-old trees were growing steadily larger as they continued on, indicating their close proximity to the ancient village within the forest. White had done something rare – returned Oshawott to his little-used Pokeball, just in case anything dangerous was to happen.

Soon, a luscious meadow, complete with a couple of small cottages, came into view. White was overwhelmed by the pervasive feeling of the place – it was wholly peaceful. All of her silly worries were coaxed away, and she fell into a gentle lull. She couldn't recall the last time such a total calmness had washed over her, but why did it matter? At this moment, she felt as if nothing in her life was wrong, that everything was perfect. Even N seemed a smidge less anxious.

Up ahead, something was approaching them, its shape indicating that it was a Pokemon. White squinted a bit, and then gasped as the creature came into focus – it was Cobalion! Seeing that he had been spotted, the great legendary nickered happily and trotted over to them, lowering his broad muzzle into White's palms. With a small chuckle, she rubbed it gently and nodded to him.

"Well, hello again, Cobalion. This is N. I don't believe you've met."

"It's my pleasure," N said in greeting, bowing his head slightly in reverence to the mighty Pokemon. Even though he was a king in his own right, he was ever appreciative of the rulers of nature.

"Would you mind leading us to your mistress?" White asked. Cobalion nodded, throwing his neck to the side and gesturing to his back. "You want us to get on?"

N suddenly walked past her and mounted the Pokemon easily, as if he had experience with such things, then offered a hand to help White up. She gladly took it, and settled in behind the man, wrapping her arms snugly around his thin waist. As fast as a thunderbolt, Cobalion shot forward, causing White to yelp and hold on to N for dear life. The king smiled, not afraid. He trusted the great beast, understanding that he knew the forest intimately and would deliver them safely. Every time it seemed like their demise via tree trunk was evident, Cobalion would change his direction gracefully and continue onward through the brush. Seeing that N wasn't afraid at all, White gradually relaxed and even began to enjoy herself – it felt as if they were flying through the trees, much like the mythical Celebi of the Johto region would. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against N's back, feeling a peculiar sense of fear overtake her as she inhaled his comforting, familiar scent. 'Don't leave me ever again, N,' she thought, terrified at even the concept.

Cobalion was beginning to slow, and she knew that they were getting close to their destination. A small but cozy cabin surrounded by vibrant flowers came into view as their ride came to a total stop. As she dismounted with N's help, White stared at her surroundings in total wonder, nearly tripping over her own feet. Several groups of Combee buzzed busily in the bountiful garden, sucking up tasty nectar from demure orchids and fiery tiger lilies. A young Caterpie was lazily crawling up into the broad branches of a sizable oak tree, where several bundled-up Swadloon were resting peacefully. A glass-like pond to the side of the clearing was covered with tiny Surskit, several of which were dancing lazily on the water as they chattered noisily. Cobalion trotted past all of this commotion, finally halting at the carved wood door to the cabin. He turned and looked at them with an expression that seemed to say, _So are you coming in or not?_

"Yes, sorry!" White called out, hurrying after him with N right behind her. Before they could reach the cabin, the door swung open and Athena came drifting into view.

"Hello, hello!" she cried, clapping her hands together excitedly. "I'm so glad you two could make it. Come in!"

Heart racing, N stopped stort. He couldn't believe his eyes. There was no way…but, it really was her. He had known her briefly as a child but had never been able to remember her face, only her kind, supportive words and loving touch. Pictures had helped to jog his memory over the years. Every time Concordia had pulled them out in secret, away from the prying eyes of Ghetsis, he had been awed that such a lovely woman existed in this world.

"Mother," he whispered. He took a tentative step forward and then abruptly fell to his knees, sobbing openly. "F…Father said you were dead. W-White told me you had visited her, b-but I didn't believe it…"

Rushing past a flabbergasted White, Athena fell to the ground next to N and gathered her distraught child up into her arms.

"I'm here. Don't cry," she crooned, stroking his hair. "I have much to tell you, darling. Come inside, now."

Extremely perturbed, White followed the pair into the cabin, trailed by the ever present Cobalion, who kicked shut the door behind them. Athena led them over to a small wooden dining table, motioning for them to sit down. Brightly colored teacups were already set out, and she filled them before taking her own chair. After a few moments of staring into his cup, N glanced shyly up at his mother in question. She nodded, and leaned back in her chair in a weary way, suddenly seemingly years older.

"Where to begin," she sighed, interlacing her thin fingers and resting her chin on them thoughtfully.

"Please, mother, take your time," N breathed. His eyes were still swollen and ringed with red, but he felt as if his mind had never been clearer.

"I loved your father very much, N – if that is indeed what you are choosing to call yourself now. I still do, despite the monster I know he has become." Athena smiled sadly at her son, reaching over to cover his hand with her own. "And I love you even more. When you were just a toddler, I travelled by boat to the far off region of Kanto, hoping to study some of the native Pokemon species, as well as the culture. I was set to come back in a year's time." Her brow furrowed, and a new tone came into her voice. "However, on the way home, the ship was hit by a mighty storm, and as a consequence, capsized. I drifted for days, until a gentle Wailmer found me and carried me to an unknown shore. After paying my new friend a fond farewell, I wandered for days in the woods and mountains, starving and dehydrated, until a kind old woman took me in. She explained that I was in a place called Hoenn, and had never heard of Unova before. All the same, she fed me and clothed me, and I repaid her by doing various chores around the house."

"That sounds awful!" White cried. "How did you ever get home?"

"Patience, my dear! I'm getting to that," chuckled Athena. "So, I stayed with her for a full eight years. She lived in a very remote area in the mountains where I had initially gotten lost, so outside contact was rare. I still held out hope, though, that someone would come by who knew of Unova and take me back home. By this time, N, your father probably believed me long dead. I curse myself to this day for going on that voyage. Maybe I could have kept your father from going insane, and I could have saved you."

"No, mother!" N said, horrified. He could clearly remember a scene from his early childhood of his anguished father tearing at his own hair, screaming for his wife, and then turning on the frightened boy and shaking him violently. It was the earliest memory N could recall of Ghetsis showing signs of major instability. "It is most certainly not your fault!"

"Nonetheless," Athena continued, gifting him with a gracious smile, "I still feel as if I am partly to blame. So, one day, a travelling salesman stopped by. This was how the old woman usually acquiesced any sort of material comfort, although in her dwelling, it was sparse. Well, they got to talking, and it turned out that he happened to have a friend who was visiting from Unova. I was naturally overjoyed, so I accepted his offer to lead me through the mountains to a place called Slateport City. There, I met with his friend, relieved to see a native Unovian. I think I nearly cried upon meeting his Chandelure – it was so wonderful to finally see a familiar Pokemon. Finally, after nine years, I was on my way home."

Athena paused here, taking a contemplative sip of tea.

"It took another year, but eventually we docked in Castelia City. I knew not where to find my husband or son, though I searched all of Unova for several years. Every potential lead fell short, and every trail went cold. Eventually, I resigned myself and built this cabin in White Forest, and met Cobalion along the way." The fighting Pokemon grunted in recognition of his name, and Athena chuckled. "I busied myself with creating a wonderful garden and taking care of the local Pokemon. That is, until I heard rumors about an organization called Team Plasma and their charismatic leader, Ghetsis. Soon afterwards, it came to my attention that they were going to be staging a demonstration in Striaton City, so I enlisted the help of a local Unfeazant to get me there."

"And there you finally saw him again, huh?" White asked softly, remembering that that had also been the first time she had met N.

"Yes, and I was overjoyed. Well, until I noticed that something seemed…off. He had changed much over the course of those years, but I had expected that. What I hadn't expected was the cruel glint in his eyes, or the calculating phrases. This was not my husband, the man with whom I had fallen in love and conceived a child. Something seemed to have possessed him, although I could see the most miniscule glimpse of his old self. I had spent years trying to find him, and that is what I discovered. I turned away, the revelation too much for me to bear. It was then that I noticed you, N – and I knew it couldn't be anyone else. It took all of my self-control to not call both you and Ghetsis out, but I thought it unwise to due to the current circumstances. I watched you battle this girl, who I later came to know as White, and I saw in your expression that you had suffered over the years, that you were not the same happy child who I had left behind. So, in order to guard you from further harm, I decided to trail you. I followed you all the way to Alder's doorstep and watched, incredibly proud and yet also painfully torn, as you defeated the Champion. When I saw you fly away on Zekrom's back, I thought you were lost – until recently, when I discovered, thanks to Cobalion, that you were back in Unova. I followed you yet again, finally showing myself to White as I knew it was now safe to contact you. And here we are."

"Here we are indeed," N mused. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that, mother. I just wish you would have stepped forward earlier, done something, anything."

"Ah, but I didn't want to incite your father's rage," Athena reminded him. "I wanted to wait until the time was right. And now I know that I should have stepped in at least a little sooner. You both are missing the legendary Pokemon, and I believe I have something that will help you."


	6. Quiver Dance

**A/N: First of all, I'd like to apologize for not updating for a year and a half. I had some unexpected events happen in my life, including a major/ potential school change and some time off. Things should be pretty steady from here on out, so I hope to finish this story within the coming months!**

**Secondly, I'm going to be going through and editing all previous chapters a bit. There won't be any major changes, but I just thought I'd let you guys know. They're untouched as of now, but I'll update you as they're edited! **

**And finally, with the release of Black and White 2, this story has officially become AU. I'm working to combine the plot with that of the games, and it's actually working surprisingly well! So, without further ado, here's chapter six. Enjoy!**

* * *

A rock. Athena had handed her a dull, grey rock without any explanation as to how it would help the pair in their quest, a gesture which left White perturbed. She reasoned, however, that they'd find out the stone's use soon enough – it wasn't as if Athena would lead her own son astray.

White had taken a walk after being presented with the curious stone, understanding that mother and son probably wanted some alone time to catch up with each other. A dusky evening had descended upon the forest, cloaking leaves, branches and the backs of sleepy bug Pokemon in muted shades of orange and purple. The fading sunlight made the woods seem even more impenetrable, but White was not afraid. She had crawled through narrow, damp caves and traversed tall, windy mountains – a dark forest was nothing in comparison. In fact, she felt curiously at home wandering and weaving through the small Sawsbuck trails. This place was new to her, and walking through it was another adventure. Hours had passed, and yet it felt like mere minutes as her descent deepened.

N – what an enigma. How could she have ever held any sort of malice towards him? His child-like tendencies had always fascinated her, yet had also meshed with her personality perfectly. Both of the heroes of Unova were children in their own vastly different ways. N didn't hide behind false maturity – instead, he had embraced his careless naivety, even though he had grown since leaving the region. White, on the other hand, had hidden her innocent wonder under the guise of adulthood, shutting out everyone around her, even her beloved Pokemon.

She remembered the day she had lost Samurott so clearly. Yet another tournament had requested her participation, so she had reluctantly packed up her belongings to continue the endless fighting. Samurott had seemed a bit off, but White had shrugged it off and attributed it to the nerves of new motherhood. She knew that she shouldn't have pushed her companion so hard that day, but she simply would not accept defeat. Samurott had gotten back on her feet over and over again, although she had looked increasingly worse every time. To the end, she had assured White that she was okay, and that she loved her very much and would do anything for her. Eventually, a Hyper Beam from an overpowered Dragonite had knocked her out, and that time, she didn't get up.

In some ways, White mused, N was exactly like Samurott. Despite her continual rejection, he still tried to love her, to care for her. He still tried to make her happy, although she had spat on his feelings every time. Such a thought and comparison worried her deeply. She hadn't wanted Samurott to suffer, and she didn't want to see N suffer in the same way, did she? Deep down, her heart was bursting with love for him, but her pride wouldn't allow her to admit it yet.

Up ahead, the trees thinned into a clearing, and as she neared White was somehow not surprised to see N sitting there motionless. Cloaked in shadows created by the dying sun, his commanding gaze bored into her as she silently approached.

"I followed your trail," he said simply.

With a slight smile, White moved closer. N held out a hand; she took it without question, sitting beside him.

"Somehow, I knew I'd find you here," she sighed. N tilted his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Their hands remained joined. White didn't pull hers away.

"How did things with your mom go?" White asked, breaking the companionable silence.

"Well," N responded, clearly still in thought. His grin broadened. "She's exactly as I remember, but better than I ever could have imagined. All of those years of believing that no one cared for me, that I was alone besides my friends…I actually had someone out there who loved me. All of my calculations were wrong."

The former king turned to her, cerulean eyes soft. "You know it's the same for you, White. Mother even said to me – sometimes people have to leave your life for awhile. That doesn't mean that they've forgotten about you or stopped caring, though. Your friends and I, even your mother back home..." He squeezed her hand. "They…we never stopped loving you."

When he stopped speaking, White was surprised to feel hot tears welling up in her eyes. The sensation of crying was so completely foreign to her that she had almost forgotten it. How long had it been since she had let go? How could N's honesty so easily break through years of defenses she had built up to keep people out? Gulping, she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her free arm around them.

"It's really hard," she choked, trying desperately to hold back, to keep those walls in place. But years of held back emotions were fighting against her, and right now, the former Champion was only a weak little girl. She didn't stand a chance. "When I was all alone, after everyone left…I couldn't even take care of my best friend. I couldn't even keep my own Pokemon from dying, damnit! I was supposed to be the Champion, the person who every else looked up to! I was supposed to be strong!"

Wrapping an arm around her carefully, N hugged her as gently as he would one of the frightened, battered Pokemon Ghetsis brought to him. She shuddered against him like a terrified Pidove.

"You're only human," N reminded her. "I know it's strange to hear that from me, but I want you to know this: Samurott's death wasn't your fault, and I'm sorry that I ever yelled at you about that. You know that Oshawott doesn't blame you either – in fact, he's told me many times that he's so happy that you're his friend. He wouldn't have anyone else taking care of him, and I know that I couldn't ask for a better friend."

Gently, he separated from her and placed his hands on her shoulders, coaxing her to look him in the eyes. When she did, her eyes were shining with unshed tears, and her cheeks were streaked with those already wept. White could only wonder numbly why N was doing this. She must seem awfully pathetic, what with her runny nose, swollen eyes, and reddened face – why couldn't she just keep her carefully constructed mask in place? Sure, it was nothing but a lie, but the girl was of the opinion that apathy suited her much better than this sniveling instability.

"I know that your dragon being gone hurts you, because I feel it too," N whispered, tearing White from her thoughts. Tilting his head forward, he clumsily fumbled to grab her fingers. "But we're going to find Kyurem, and I'm going to get her back for you. I'm going to fix everything for you, I promise. I'm going to make everything better, and this time, I'm not going to leave you."

"I…" Something inside of White suddenly broke free. A torrent of heat flashed throughout her body, her heart swelling so painfully with emotion that she thought it might burst. Without a second thought, the Pokemon trainer tilted her head and pressed her lips against N's.

Her kiss was clumsy and feverish, as brief and as fluttering as the touch of a Beautifly. She pulled back at first, ashamed, but N immediately tangled her back up in his arms. Liquid fire pooled in the heroine's stomach; hot needles of wanting and desire prickled her skin deliciously. Their lips met again –firmer now, with more passion, more need. Gasping, N gripped her shoulders and then moved his fingers to her hair, stroking and gently tugging, begging. His body language was entirely open, and it was instantly clear to White that he was allowing her to take the lead. Answering his silent invitation with delight, White deepened the kiss, coasting the tip of her tongue against his bottom lip; the man seemed confused at first by such an unfamiliar action, but soon he easily yielded to these motions. Not wanting to push his inexperience too far, White soon pulled away again with a soft whimper, her lips tingling and swollen. N kept her locked in his embrace, tucking her head against his chest and under his chin.

"White," he let loose a sigh of relief, brushing trembling fingers against her loosened hair, feeling her quickened heart pulsing against his own. Closing his eyes, he inhaled her pleasant scent, rocking her back and forth sweetly.

"I couldn't help it," White murmured, clutching at his chest. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't lie to myself any longer."

"I know," N replied, pressing his lips against the top of her head. "Don't apologize. It makes me so happy that you came to me on your own."

"I just…please try to be patient with me," she muttered, squeezing her eyes shut. "I can't promise that I'll be the nicest person most days. I can't even promise that I'll be able to totally open up to you most of the time. It's going to take time for me to get back to where I was. If you can accept that…"

"When I said I wouldn't leave you again, I meant it," the former king said firmly, tightening his hold on her. "Wherever you go, I will follow. We're meant to be together, just like Zekrom and Reshiram – a perfectly balanced equation."

A genuine smile spread across White's face, and she pulled away from N to climb to her feet. Chuckling at his comically slighted expression, she offered a hand to help him up.

"We should head back to your mom's place now," she explained, bracing herself as he dragged himself up off the ground using her weight. "She's probably expecting us soon anyway."

"Yes, I agree," he said with a half-smile, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. As White was quite new to the whole lovey-dovey thing, it didn't surprise her in the slightest when she felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment. "Why don't you let Oshawott out? He's been trapped in that Pokeball for so long…"

"Shit!" White cried, smacking her own forehead. "I completely forgot! I hope the poor little guy's not too upset with me."

Unclipping his Pokeball from her belt, she tossed it into the air above her and caught a startled Oshawott in one arm and the empty capsule with the other.

"Osha!" he whined peevishly, wrapping his stubby arms around her neck as best he could.

"Hey, sweetheart," White crooned kindly. "I'm sorry I kept you cooped up for so long. I know you're not used to it."

"Osha, osh," the Water Pokemon replied solemnly, nodding in apparent forgiveness. His large glassy eyes soon caught sight of N's closeness to his trainer, and they narrowed in juvenile suspicion. "Wott…"

N chuckled and raised his hands in an innocent gesture. "Don't worry, friend. I already promised that I wouldn't hurt your best friend again. You have nothing to be upset about."

The little otter did not reply; instead he hmphed, and shot N a glance that screamed 'I'll be watching you.' White rolled her eyes and boosted Oshawott up onto her shoulder, where he buried himself into her hair and began chittering happily about being reunited with his trainer.

"Such drama," she muttered. "You ready to go, N?"

"After you, White," he responded with a giddy grin, pushing her forward gently. The trio disappeared into the gloomy brush, leaving the moonlit clearing behind.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" questioned Athena anxiously, trailing behind White and N as they packed up the next morning. "Food? Money? A strong Pokemon?"

"Don't worry about us, Mother," N smiled, handing Zoroark some of his folded clothing. "White's a former Champion. I'm sure we'll be fine wherever we go."

"Natural Harmonia, as your mother, I have every right to fuss over you," the older woman chided, her lips quirking with humor. "But really, my dear, you don't have to be afraid to ask for anything. You too, White."

"Thanks, Athena," White grinned as she finished shoving the last bits of packaged food into her bag. Zipping it up, she looped it around her shoulder and adjusted it until she was satisfied. "But we'll be okay. I think N and I have been through a lot worse."

"Ah, don't be too cocky," Athena warned, running a few long fingers through her silvery hair worriedly. "I fear that this may not be as easy as you believe."

"We'll be fine," N assured her, stooping over to grab her in a tight hug. His mother sighed in defeat and hugged him back, patting his back lightly.

"I just got you back, child," she whispered, backing away to look him in the eye. "I want White and you to come back after all of this is over, so you'd better be careful."

"Of course we will," White interjected as she helped Oshawott up on to her shoulder. "I'm sorry we couldn't stay very long this time."

Athena waved her off with a sad smile. "I understand, my dear. You two have responsibilities and a fate larger than most could comprehend. Now, you really must be going – I've heard ominous rumors of extreme temperature fluctuations around Lacunosa Town. I'm afraid Kyurem is unsettled and may hurt someone if you dawdle too long."

"Goodbye, Mother. We'll be back soon," N said, leaning over to plant a kiss on Athena's cheek.

"Out you go," the woman insisted, shooing them towards the front door. She watched as they passed through her vibrant garden, a few tears rolling down her face.

"Be safe, and take care of each other!" she called out one last time, gripping the corners of her shawl tightly. "Just so you know, I'm expecting grandchildren at some point!"

White nearly shrieked in horror at Athena's candid comment, gasping as she felt her cheeks and ears heat up in embarrassment. Blushing hotly, she shot a glance at N, who was snickering under his breath. With narrowed eyes, she jabbed her hip into the side of his leg, smirking triumphantly when he staggered and nearly fell over. At his hurt look, she rolled her eyes and sighed, grabbing his hand and interlacing her fingers with his.

Without the combined power of Reshiram and Zekrom to help them out with Kyurem, White knew that their chances of victory were slim, and the thought of being lost forever in a freezing hell was the stuff of nightmares. But as she tightened her hold on N's hand and looked up at his tender smile, she thought, 'Maybe, just maybe…him being by my side makes things a little less scary.'


	7. Memento

**A/N: Another chapter! Before we begin, I'd like to address a few things:**

**a) I've outlined this entire story, and it looks like we're sitting at 27 chapters plus an epilogue. Basically, things are only just getting started! Because of this, I'm going to attempt to put out a new chapter every one to two weeks. No promises, though! I can, promise, however, that we'll be seeing a much broader cast of characters after the halfway point.**

**b) If it seems like N and White have rushed into their relationship...well, they have! There will be consequences later on, so I'd take a hint and enjoy things as they are now, because it's gonna get rocky. ;) Life isn't exactly going to be kind to our heroes.**

**c) I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a happy New Year - oh, and congrats on surviving the apocalypse! As always, please review. :)**

**Edit: 1/4/2013 - I've fixed the spelling of Clair's name and changed Psychic to Signal Beam, as that's actually super effective against Hydreigon. Sorry for any confusion!**

* * *

"So, N," White began conversationally as they crossed into Route 14 a few hours later, "I realized I never asked you what you did for those three years you were gone."

The young woman had to admit that she was a tad nervous around N now. So much had changed, and while it was all for the better, all of it was new and confusing; everything had happened so quickly. Had it really only been days since she had left her apartment in Castelia City, morose and hateful? This perplexed White until she remembered the effect N had had on her the first time around, as brief as their acquaintance had been then. Silently, she hoped that her friend – make that her boyfriend…thing didn't notice her fumbling awkwardness. Well, so much for their relationship being simple and straightforward.

"No, you did not," he mused after a time, a small frown appearing on his face. "I assure you, it's not a very interesting story."

"Don't say that," the Pokemon trainer protested softly, sadness creasing her eyebrows together. Her heart clenched painfully, and she willed herself to not think of the past. "Whatever kept you away from Unova…I want to know."

"I'm sorry," N sighed, shaking his head and shifting uncomfortably. "I didn't mean it like that. I just didn't think it would be a very good conversation topic."

"Hey, you."

White stopped and whirled in front of him, jabbing an accusing finger into his bony chest. Despite the fact that she was still wearing those ridiculous sunglasses, the former king found himself flinching visibly and backing up in the face of her fury.

"If we're going to do this relationship, I need you to talk to me," she said, her voice trembling. Shaking her head to clear her mind, her lips tightened into a thin line. "Even if it's boring or unimportant to you, I want to know what happened to you. You came back, and you're totally different now. Something changed you."

"Just like something changed you…" N trailed off. A sudden smile lit up his countenance, and he grabbed White in a quick embrace, an action which Oshawott protested against noisily. The little Water Pokemon glared daggers at him before scrambling up on to White's shoulder to hide in her bushy hair. "I understand."

Letting her go just as quickly as he had grabbed her, N motioned for White to keep walking. So she did, blushing furiously when he reached out to sweetly tuck her hand in his.

"When I first flew out of Unova, I had no idea where I was going, and for awhile, it didn't matter much. The feeling of finally being free…" N sucked in a breath, a dreamy look spreading over him. "There was nothing more precious to me at that time. "

"But Zekrom soon became impatient and demanded that I pick a destination. I picked Johto, because I had read many interesting books about the region's mythology as a child." N laughed, running his fingers through his mint hair sheepishly before continuing. "I know that it wasn't the most logical idea in the world, but it's what I chose, and I don't regret it a bit. Anyway, once I was there, it didn't take long for people to start noticing me. For one thing, Zoroark was quite visible next to the native Pokemon. There was also my ability, which I didn't exactly hide."

"Of course not," White muttered under her breath, giggling when N scowled at her.

"As I was saying," he continued, slightly exasperated, "word of my ability spread fast, and I soon came to the attention of the more powerful trainers of the region. Two in particular intervened before I could be swayed towards a more…illegitimate path. And considering who I was at the time, manipulating me wouldn't have exactly been difficult."

Noticing N drifting off into thoughts which were clearly related to his father, White nudged him gently with her elbow and cleared her throat. "What were their names?"

N shot a thankful smile at her. "Red and Lance. Red is the former champion of Kanto, and Lance is still the champion of Johto. You're aware that the two regions are connected, right?"

"Mm," White nodded, her eyes widening to be as large as saucers. "I can't believe you met Red. He's like…a legend. Even I've read about him, and that's saying something!"

"He was very…" N paused, searching for the right word. "Quiet. But both were very kind to take me in and listen to my story. I showed them Zekrom, and they were awe, even though I admitted that I wasn't quite sure how to properly care for him. Lance is a dragon master, so he offered to let me stay with his cousin and him in Blackthorn City so that he could teach me how to care for my friend. His cousin Clair is a dragon master as well as the Gym Leader of Blackthorn City, and they were both very supportive in more than one way."

Raising an eyebrow, White asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Haven't you wondered why I'm less awkward than I used to be? That was all thanks to Clair," N beamed, a fond look settling over his face. Narrowing her eyes almost imperceptibly, White forced herself to quell irrational feelings of jealously. _'You know you're not one to get upset about jealousy,'_ she reminded herself.

"Clair taught me casual social graces beyond the formal ones I learned as a child," he explained, chuckling. "It took awhile, and I'm far from perfect, but I've learned to keep certain subjects to myself."

"Hey, you still talk fast, you know. You haven't lost your eloquent speech, though," White noted with a tiny grin. It was one of the quirks about N that had attracted her in the first place – well spoken men were a weakness for her, which explained an early crush she had harbored for Cheren.

"Indeed. I believe it to be an asset. But moving on, I eventually began to notice that despite Lance and Clair's top-notch care, Zekrom was becoming more irritable with each passing day. At this point, I had almost been gone an entire three years, and I realized that Zekrom wasn't the only one who had been growing discontent. I began to sink into depression with him, and it took me awhile to come up with an answer to it."

"And that was…?" White asked, trailing off when he suddenly stopped walking and turned to her, gaze fierce.

"It was you, White," he whispered, winding his lanky arms around her slight form and crushing her to him. His lips grazed her left ear, and she shivered in delight as he continued speaking, voice ragged.

"I realized how much I needed you. I realized what Zekrom had known all along – I never should have left you behind. We should have stayed in Unova with you and Reshiram, because that's where we belong."

Closing her eyes, White allowed herself a moment of weakness to melt against him, to allow herself to be supported by him. But then the girl remembered herself and who she was, and soon she was pulling back and away from him and adjusting her bag strap.

"Me, huh? What about Clair?" she teased light heartedly, clearing her mind of any stray distracting thoughts. "Is she your girlfriend back in Johto?"

"White!" N gasped, serious shock and a brief tinge of hurt lighting up his features. "You really think I would have done such a…such a _knavish _thing to you?"

"No, no, N," she quickly assured him, reaching over to stroke his lower arm soothingly. "It's just a joke."

But N's lips remained pursed and tense. When he looked over at White, eyes brimming with innocent hope, and asked the next question, she froze in absolute horror.

"What about you? Was there anyone else while I was gone?"

Just as the girl was about to formulate a reply, she was unexpectedly interrupted by a deep yet nasally male voice calling out from behind them, "Excuse me! Excuse me, you two! Could you please wait up?"

Although she was immensely relieved to not have to answer _that _question, White was rather irritated by the rudeness of the stranger behind them. The tense atmosphere wasn't helping the girl's already thin patience. Whirling around angrily, she opened her mouth to tear the man a new asshole for interrupting her conversation. What she saw, however, quelled her anger into curious confusion.

"Thank you, Miss White, Lord N!" the man panted heavily, bending over and clutching his stomach to regain his breath. White studied him, the corners of her mouth twitching is disapproval; a lab coat hugged his body, his clean cut features accentuated by a strange swoop of thickly gelled hair. When his breathing finally calmed, he straightened and adjusted his glasses with an austere smirk. "I appreciate you stopping."

"Uh, woah there, weirdo," White said, clasping a hand to her hip with a deep glare and backing up a few steps. Oshawott, his tiny mouth quivering, whined fearfully and burrowed deeper into her rat's nest of a bun. He sensed an oncoming battle, and those really scared him – after all, Mommy had died that way. "How the hell did you recognize me? Why did you refer to N like that?"

As White reached for Hydreigon's Pokeball, the man shook his head calmly.

"Please, Miss. I have merely taken an interest in you two. My name is Colress, and I mean no harm – I wish for a simple Pokemon battle - doubles, if you please."

"That doesn't answer my question," the girl growled, leaning forward menacingly. Before she could go any further, N laid a hand on her shoulder, looking down at her mildly.

"We might as well oblige him, my dear," he chided. Stooping down until he was level with her ear, he murmured, "It's best to entertain his wishes so that he leaves us alone sooner."

Colress had raised a single perfectly shaped eyebrow at N's affectionate phrase for the former Pokemon Champion, but he quickly wiped his countenance free of any emotion when White shot another distasteful look at him.

"All right, whatever," she grumbled, enlarging Hydreigon's Pokeball in her palm. "Hydreigon, let's wipe the floor with this creep!"

"Zoroark, my friend!"

"Klinklang and Beheeyem, let's go!"

The fox Pokemon and the dragon Pokemon shared a conspiratorial glance as they sized up their opponents; Zoroark nodded once in some affirmation and crouched low to the ground, growling lowly as he eyed up the Psychic Pokemon hovering a few yards in front of him. Meanwhile, Hydreigon lurched forward towards the Klinklang to snap at him with his mouth-hands. When the whirring gears recoiled nervously, the three heads began to cackle manically. White watched all of this with some visible relief – their Pokemon were confident and ready to go. There wouldn't be any trouble today.

"Okay, Hydreigon, looks like we're going to have to brute force this one," she called, rubbing her hands together worriedly. "Dragon Pulse at Klinklang, now!"

"Try to dodge it, Klingklang!" Colress shouted encouragingly, eyes ablaze. "Don't let him overpower you!"

As the hydra reared back and spat out the attack, N cried, "Zoroark, this will be easy! Night Slash Beheeyem!"

"Beheeyem, Reflect! Protect yourself!"

Hydreigon's blast of energy slammed into Klinklang just as Zoroark surged forward to rake energy-infused claws against Beheeyem's open side. The steel Pokemon stuttered a bit, his gears skipping a beat and grinding together unpleasantly; however, he remained floating, only slightly more wobbly than he had been. Beheeyem, however, did not fare as well. Although he had been able to throw up a sturdy barrier, it had been quickly overwhelmed by the Dark Pokemon's powerful slashes. Now he could only manage to float a few inches off the ground and whistle weakly.

"All right, Beheeyem, you first!" Colress ground out, clearly miffed. "Signal Beam that Hydreigon! Klinklang, after that, use Metal Sound! Lower their defenses!"

Flying back a couple of feet, the Cerebral Pokemon became completely still and closed its eerie glowing eyes. Explosive waves of energy streamed from him and directed themselves towards Hydreigon. Although White cried for her Pokemon to evade the attack, the creature was too slow and was caught up in a wavering field of energy. With a scream, the girl ran to Hydreigon's side, anxiously running her hands over his shuddering form.

"White!" N yelled in surprise, panicking as he noticed Klingklang gearing up for his move. Lunging forward with surprising speed, he grabbed his partner's wrist and dragged her backwards and out of range just in time. Klinklang whirred his gears in the wrong direction, conjuring up an awful screeching noise which left both Zoroark and Hydreigon howling in disoriented pain.

"Fight through it, Zoroark!" N begged, clutching White's wrist in a white-knuckled grip. "Finish Beheeyem up with another Night Slash – I believe in you!"

As Zoroark managed to slash down Beheeyem and faint him, N turned to the dazed girl beside him and firmly directed her towards the battle. "Come on, White!" he pleaded, praying desperately that she wasn't thinking about the Samurott incident. "You need to command Hydreigon! He's counting on you!"

"I see that these past few years have not been kind on the Hero of Unova," Colress taunted as he recalled Beheeyem. "I must say I'm disappointed. I expected better than this."

The jab was enough to snap White from her panicked daze. As if an Emolga had Thundershocked her heart, she suddenly came alive and began wrestling herself out of N's grip.

"Shut the fuck up, you freak!" she snarled, finally detaching herself from her concerned partner. "Hydreigon, Outrage! Full power, buddy!"

She didn't need to tell her Pokemon twice. As if he were feeding off his trainer's rage, the dragon roared loudly and began to pulse a violent orange-red. Knowing his fate was sealed, Klinklang flitted about restlessly; perhaps he was hoping for a last second dodge. _Knowing _that_ Hydreigon, escape is not likely, _N thought, grimacing.

With a final cry, Hydreigon bolted towards the Steel Pokemon and came down on him in a fiery hale of dragon teeth and claws. The valiant Klinklang tried to hold out as long as he could, his tough exterior helping, but in the end even he succumbed to his foe's relentless attacks. As he collapsed with a tired screech, Colress recalled him and stood quite still.

"I lost," he stated as nonchalantly as he would an interesting fact.

"What did you expect?" White gloated, gesturing towards him rudely. "You challenged the two heroes of Unova and expected to win? Arceus, you're more unhinged than I thought."

"Ah, but this has been a valuable experiment for me," Colress grinned, writing a few notes on a clipboard he had pulled out of his bag. "I did not expect to win."

"Then why did you challenge us?" N snapped, his anger at the concept of White getting seriously hurt rushing over him like a wave. "You seem to know quite a lot about us, Colress. I'm certain that you know of White's past. You knew that would agitate her."

"I need to find true power," the scientist said simply, putting away his notes. "Your bonds with your Pokemon…perhaps that is how their power is unlocked. I must go now, however. We'll meet again soon, I'm sure."

With a curt nod, the man began a hasty retreat back the way he came. Rolling her eyes after him, White then sighed and allowed her shoulders to slump in fatigue. Staggering over to her Hydreigon, she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly.

"I'm proud of you, buddy," she mumbled, holding a Pecha Berry out for his inspection. As the dragon gobbled the treat out of her palm, the girl smiled fleetingly and stroked his snout with her other hand. Oshawott finally crawled out from under her hair and began conversing with the larger Pokemon, his shrill cries sounding a little strange next to Hydreigon's low rumbles.

"Are you okay?" N asked softly, stepping towards her with worry and a bit of admiration shining in his eyes.

"What? Yeah, I'm fine. That guy was just really weird," she replied distractedly, busy with recalling Hydreigon to his Premier Ball.

"I'm happy to see that you still care about your Pokemon," N smiled. After a contemplative pause, he bowed over and lifted her chin with a few fingers, quickly pressing his lips against hers. The faint dusting of a blush settled on his face, and he backed away shyly.

Despite the fact that she was clearly flustered, White only glanced at him blankly and began walking forward without a sound, cradling her Oshawott in her arms lovingly. With a furtive glance at Zoroark (he only offered a shrug and an exasperated reply of, _Don't ask me,_ _humans are really strange_) N jogged after her.

* * *

As an opulent three-quarter moon began to rise from the edges of the horizon, White suggested that they stop their journey for the night and set up camp. Despite her earlier standoffishness, the girl had soon warmed up again and spent the rest of the day chattering to him as if nothing had happened. Of course, N thought this to be very curious – her mood swings almost matched his own these days, and the thought of that frightened and saddened him. Her heart was very clearly still in turmoil, and he ached to reach it and adjust it until it was again beating joyously. The flashback during their battle with Colress proved just how dangerous her state of mind was, and the former king was determined to protect her to the best of his ability. Although N was the first to admit that he wasn't exactly the most worldly or wise of men, he cared about his mate (it _was _okay to refer to her as that now, he had to keep reminding himself) a great deal and would go to great lengths to assure that she was safe. So when White moved to crawl out of the newly erected tent to go sleep outside, his hand shot out to grab her arm.

"Yes?" she prodded with raised eyebrows when he didn't speak.

"Well, uhm, I would like it very much if, ah," N stuttered out, glancing at the floor shyly, "you would, uhm, sleep in here with me tonight."

A warm smile spread over White's face, and she had to fight to suppress her giddiness. Managing to keep her feelings in check, the girl asked teasingly, "Oh? Are you afraid of sleeping alone, Lord N?"

"N-Not at all!" he denied, shaking his head vigorously. His features softened. "I just…I want to protect you, White. Oshawott has told me that you have trouble sleeping sometimes, and as your mate, I would like to be here to comfort you in case you get scared."

Oshawott, who had been sitting quietly on White's lap playing with a Pokedoll, uttered a small 'Osha!' in affirmation.

"Hey, you don't need to protect me from anything," White protested, shooting a dirty look at the tiny water Pokemon; but, she allowed her smile to creep back. "I can take care of myself, sweetheart. But if you want, I'll sleep with you from now on."

Pleased by N's relieved look, White dragged her well-worn sleeping bag into the makeshift shelter and unzipped it to make one big blanket. Helping N do the same, she spread his on the floor of the tent and pulled hers over top. Easing herself down, the trainer made sure to scoop Oshawott up and tuck him in on the side N wasn't currently occupying. Familiar with this routine, the otter snuggled up against her, soon falling asleep against her back. After a slightly embarrassed hesitation, N shimmied under the covers and turned on his side to face White, who was staring at him with silent blue orbs.

"N," she breathed, suddenly very much aware of how close he would be to her. Feeling very warm and tingly, as if she were under the trance of a particularly amorous Musharna, the girl parted her lips and tilted her her head so that she was kissing him.

The sudden heat and passion of the action caught N wildly off guard. This kissing was very different than that which they had partaken in the night before; it had a desperate tinge and need to it, a need which he would gladly meet.

With a soft moan, he pressed himself against her and tangled his long fingers in her thick hair, returning the kiss with clumsy vigor. When he felt her tongue poking at his lips, he gladly obliged and opened his mouth slightly, allowing her entrance. With some dazed bravery, he removed one of his hands from her hair and slid it down to her waist, his breath catching in his throat when he heard her whine pleasingly in response. She shifted so that she was slightly on top of him, and so both of his hands trailed down to grip her hips; at this, she made the same noise again. That _noise_. Arceus, she would drive him mad!

Taking frenzied charge, White pressed her palms against his shoulders, effectively holding him down as she tore herself away from his mouth. N was about the protest but was rapidly silenced as he felt something warm and soft pushing and sucking at the sensitive skin on his neck. Stars exploded behind his eyes and he groaned loudly, bucking his hips against hers instinctively.

This seemed to jar White out of her trance, and like a shocked Purrloin, she bounced off him and to the side. Breathing heavily, she stared at him for a long moment. Something like shame crossed her face, fleetingly vanishing when she offered him a tentative grin.

"I…I think that's enough for tonight," she gulped, sliding back under the covers. She nearly sighed in relief when she noticed that Oshawott had slept through the whole thing.

"I understand," N replied softly, fighting to keep his frustration at the sudden stop at bay. Taking a deep breath, he smiled weakly and curled up next to her. Shyly, he put his arm around her, tucking her carefully against his chest. With her added warmth and rhythmic breathing, the former king soon found himself drifting off despite the lingering ache in this chest.

White didn't fall asleep for a long time. The dull throbbing from Reshiram's absence had grown, and it was severely weakening her emotional fortitude. _I've become a hormonal teenager again, _she thought grimly, shuddering at the mere idea. Clutching at her heart, she exhaled shakily and turned so that she was facing N's slim chest. Searching for what little comfort she could, the girl clung to his chest and closed her eyes tightly, trying for another night to ignore the ceaseless pounding.


	8. Ominous Wind

**A/N: Hey guys! I wanted to thank those of you who are following/adding this story to your favorites. If you could do me a small favor and just type a small review, though, I'd really appreciate it! You have no idea how much that little review alert brightens my day. :)**

**Anyway, I'd like to warn you guys ahead of time that the rating WILL be going up to M in the next chapter, so if you're not comfortable with more adult themes, this story may no longer be for you. Just thought I'd give you a heads up!**

Despite the fact that traversing Route 14 was a long and tiring ordeal, White refused to let any fatigue show. Her pride continuously reminded her to suck it up – she was tougher than that, damn it! After her embarrassing behavior in the deserts outside of Nimbasa City, White was determined to develop more endurance. Three years ago, the trainer had been able to cross the Unova region with ease, so this journey shouldn't have been nearly as difficult. But three years out of practice had softened muscle and dulled the sharp edges of her mind, and it was starting to show.

Even though she continuously lagged behind N, he said nothing; his only response was an ever-patient smile while he halted and waited for her to catch up. A tiny prick of guilt tickled at White's stomach. She knew full well that he could have moved much faster on his own, so she tried to hurry her pace, wincing at the unpleasant sensation of a popping blister.

"I'm sorry," White muttered for what felt like the hundredth time that day. N merely smiled again and turned to continue, his long strides quickly outmatching her short and frantic ones.

"Osh," Oshawott observed sagely from his perch on top of her head, poking her scalp encouragingly.

"Yeah, thanks," his trainer sighed, brushing her fingertips against her bangs to push them out of her eyes. Trembling droplets of sweat were beaded on her ruddy forehead; the late spring sun was doing her no favors.

"Osha…" The water Pokemon's sharp gaze wandered to his surroundings, taking in the magnificent waterfalls which were an impressive hallmark of Route 14. From what he had overheard of his trainer and her companion's discussion, this apparently meant that they were getting closer to the next town. Although Oshawott wasn't even a year old, his observation skills were unusually astute. Traveling with White had only sharpened this peculiar ability; there were so many new things to take in, and he was rapidly learning how to separate useless information from what may be of some importance later. His chest swelled slightly in pride as he recalled Zoroark's remarks about him being destined for greatness. Speaking of the fox Pokemon…

Zoroark was faithfully keeping step with his trainer and friend, visibly bored by the endless trek. From the conversations Oshawott had had with the Pokemon, he knew that Zoroark had been a part of N's life since he was a young Zorua. The older creature's perpetual scowl had deepened when the little otter inquired about his life before meeting his trainer, and he had snarled something about being stuck with a pathetic weakling who would beat him if he had the audacity to lose battles.

Oshawott, to put it simply, had been baffled; he could not comprehend anyone treating their Pokemon like that. White had always been the picture of a loving friend, especially after Momma had passed. And even though he knew that the human girl tore herself apart for the Samurott's death, the water Pokemon didn't blame her in the slightest. In the painfully short time he had spent with his mother, she had taught him to always protect his mistress, especially since she was a Hero. Momma had died doing just that, and he couldn't have been prouder.

Of course, Papa was still around – in fact, Oshawott could even see his Pokeball clipped on White's belt from his vantage point on her head. Even though he only met with Papa occasionally, the otter was comforted by the fact that he still had such a powerful Pokemon looking out for him. Momma and Papa were both incredibly strong and fiercely guarded the Hero of Unova, a shared quality which eventually brought them together despite being opposing types. With a sudden pang, Oshawott thought about how much he missed curling up in Papa's voluminous, feather-soft fur. Deciding to do something about this, he settled his eyes on Zoroark's mane, lined himself up, and jumped.

A sudden feral shriek caught N and White off guard, and both started in surprise. When N realized that it had only been White's Oshawott landing rather haphazardly on Zoroark, a chuckle bubbled out of him. A stern look from White had the Water Pokemon grinning a sharp-fanged apology.

_What the hell was that for? _Zoroark snarled, reaching up to smack some sense into the irritating child. He had been nothing but friendly towards the young Pokemon at first, but the otter's annoying immaturity was beginning to wear on him and his low tolerance for stupidity.

_I need you to tell your trainer something for me, _Oshawott chirped cheerfully, purposely ignoring the fox's ire.

_Why didn't you just tell him yourself? _He snapped in reply, finally feeling his pointy claws close over the otter's downy fur. Dragging Oshawott roughly out of his bushy mane by the scruff and dangling him in front of his snout, Zoroark fixed him with a menacing glare.

Squirming uncomfortably in his grasp, Oshawott whimpered sourly and pouted at the older Pokemon.

_I don't like him very much. He's kind of strange, and he hurt my trainer!_

_Well, you're going to have to deal with him from now on! They're mates now - I can smell her stench all over him. _

Oshawott began flailing wildly in Zoroark's claw, spitting and hissing angrily. His fur puffed out in a silly attempt to make him look bigger and therefore more threatening; however, it only succeeded in making him look like an adorably oversized ball of cotton.

_White does not smell bad! You take that back, or I'll make you regret it! _He bared his tiny fangs before sullenly adding, _And stop talking down to me like I'm stupid! I know they're mates!_

_Then you'll know to hold your tongue about their joining, _Zoroark growled, shaking the child once more for good measure. _Do you want to upset your trainer?_

Defeated, Oshawott finally ceased his tantrum, and he drooped in the other Pokemon's grasp. He was about to say something else when a sharp gasp cut him off.

N was standing as still as a dormant Roggenrola, the color in his skin draining swiftly. Immediately concerned, White (who had yet again been lagging behind) ran to his side and tentatively touched his tensed shoulder, her fatigue momentarily forgotten.

"N? What's up?" she asked, tensing herself. Even though N was often prone to theatrics, she always tried to err on the side of caution and take him seriously.

"I can hear…a Pokemon needs help!" he said too fast, eyes franticly darting around to find the source of the pained cry he had overheard. "Something's hurting it! We need to go, now!"

"Slow down, N," White said soothingly, totally alert as she stroked the back of her hand against his upper arm. "Think for me. Where did it come from? Can you still hear it?"

Gulping back tears harshly, N forced himself to cease his racing thoughts and focus. Was it…no. Wait – there! The soft, wheezing sob for help flickered at the edges of his consciousness again.

"This way!" he cried, grabbing White's hand and all but dragging her off the beaten path. Without a second thought, Zoroark tossed Oshawott back up into his mane and bolted after his trainer.

Barging through wave after wave of waist-length grass, N shook his head furiously, trying to clear his head and_ listen_. His heart was pounding in his chest as he went over every awful scenario and possibility in his mind over and over again. What if he was too late? What if it was beyond his help? No, he couldn't think like that, but then again, he had never been able to save them all, and that fact had haunted his dreams for years now. Unbidden, the distorted image of a bloodied, still Pidove surfaced in his mind, and he went faster still. Nothing mattered except for the sickeningly weakening cry, not even White's wheezing and gasping pleas for him to stop, because he was hurting her and she couldn't breathe...

Finally, a splash of royal purple appeared among the flowers and weeds. Unable to register anything else but the tiny creature, N dropped to his knees and brushed trembling fingertips over its torn body. A dying Drifloon gasped in front of him, its rubbery hide pierced with several cruel holes.

_H-help me, please, _it whispered breathily, rotating slightly so that its dulling eyes were staring into N's. The voice was high pitched, tinny, and distinctly female. _I don't…want to die…_

"Don't…don't say anything else," N all but sobbed, fumbling around for his bag. "Y-you're going to lose more air. Just be still, I can help you…"

_Thank…you…_

It was hard to focus through the hot tears which blurred his vision, but N tried his best, sifting through his bag in search of his first aid kit. After several terrifying seconds, his hand closed around cold, hard plastic. Tearing the white box open, N choked back a scream as bandages, gauze, and healing potions burst out and scattered throughout the grass.

"Z-zoroark, please, help me," he stammered, threading his fingers through the vegetation in search of bandages. His faithful friend did not reply but began hurriedly gathering the wayward supplies in his paws and dumping them into N's lap. Grabbing a Potion, the former king bent over the Drifloon and gently misted the healing solution over her quivering body, using his fingertips to spread the beaded droplets. Something was kicking at the corner of his mind, but he firmly ignored it, focusing instead on the task at hand.

The holes in the Pokemon furrowed and tightened slightly, but not enough, so N meticulously began to cover each of them with an adhesive rubber bandage. When all but one was sealed, he lifted the Balloon Pokemon to his mouth and exhaled into her, filling her with life-giving air. Only when he stuck the last bandage over this final hole did he allow himself a sigh of relief. The Drifloon was holding the air in, and it would be enough to ensure that the small Pokemon would heal.

It was then that he realized the 'kicking' he had felt was actually Oshawott repeatedly ramming his scalchop into his arm, which was now scratched and bleeding. Furious, N opened his mouth to thoroughly chastise the otter for interrupting such a delicate procedure; he snapped it shut, however, upon noticing that Oshawott's expressive face was painted with a mixture of fury and terror. Tears were quivering in the corners of his coal black eyes.

"OSHA!" the Pokemon screamed shrilly, jumping up to slap N in the face with his slippery tail. N leaned back, momentarily stunned back into reality. "Wott, osh osh, OshaWOTT!"

_You big JERK! What did you do to my trainer!? She won't get up, she's not moving, just like Momma! What have you done!? IF YOU DID ANYTHING TO HURT HER, I'LL MAKE SURE PAPA HURTS YOU REALLY BADLY!_

N's heart stilled at the otter's words, and he glanced about frantically until his eyes found White. She was lying prone a few yards away, cradled by the tall grass.

"Oh…oh, Arceus, White!" he cried out in alarm, scrambling over to her side. Gripping her shoulder, he forced her over on to her back and lifted her into his arms. "Please, you have to be okay…"

Pressing his ear to her chest, he was enormously relieved to hear that she had a heartbeat. A second later she stirred in his hold, groaning hoarsely.

"Holy fuck, I have the worst headache," she moaned, squinting up at N. "Where am I? Don't tell me we got drunk or anything."

"I'm so glad you're okay, White," N whispered brokenly, clutching her like a child would his favorite plush.

"What? Of course I'm okay," White replied in confusion, wincing as he squeezed her a little too tight. Suddenly she remembered why she was in this predicament. "Ow! Okay, except my chest is a little sore."

"I'm so sorry," he sobbed into her hair. "I know…I know I'm a terrible m-mate, but I w-won't ever let you g-get hurt again, I promise."

"N…" White's eyes softened, and she reached up to grip his chin, coaxing him to look at her. Sniffling, he complied, his face swollen and red. The trainer suddenly realized just how much he looked like a scared child.

"I understand, okay? You were worried about the Pokemon," she said sympathetically, grazing her thumb against his cheek. "I've just been really tired because I'm not used to traveling, so I kind of passed out when you pushed me too hard. These things happen, sweetheart."

"I love you," he blurted out, blue-grey eyes overbright as he leaned over to firmly cover her lips with his. When he pulled away after awhile, White was smiling sadly, yet so beautifully.

"I know," she sighed, brushing strands of tea green hair out of his eyes. "Help me stand, okay?"

With a nod and a strangely hollow heart, N released his mate from his embrace and carefully helped her to her feet. Oshawott immediately scampered over to her and clung to her leg, fussing and whimpering apprehensively; he only calmed when White scooped him up into her arms and rubbed her nose against his, assuring him that she was unquestionably okay.

A gentle nudge at N's back had him turning around to face the Drifloon, who had recovered enough to float slightly about the ground.

"Floooon…" she whistled, bobbing up and down with the slight breeze.

_Thank you so much for saving me, mister. I really thought I wasn't going to make it._

Beaming brightly, N kneeled down to the little balloon's level and rubbed his knuckles against her shiny skin affectionately. She leaned into it, closing her eyes and whirring softly.

"You're very welcome, my little friend," he murmured, lips setting into a hard line as his visage turned grim. "But you need to tell me who did this to you."

Instantly becoming downcast, the Drifloon quaked like a leaf in a storm. _It…it was my trainer. I didn't do well enough in a battle, and he got mad at me…and then abandoned me here._

N clenched his hands into fists so hard that it felt like he was going to fracture the delicate bones within. However, his face remained stoic and cold as he asked, "Your trainer - where did he go?"

_P-Please don't go after him, mister! _The Ghost Pokemon begged, flitting about agitatedly. _It was my fault anyway! I deserved it for not doing my best!_

"Listen to me, young one." He placed a deceptively calm hand on the Drifloon's side, silently urging her to settle down. "A human treating you like this…there is no excuse. You did nothing wrong - it's he who was too weak to take care of you, to unlock your true potential. It's not your fault."

The Drifloon was silent for awhile after that. N rose to his feet, barely containing the rage which scorched through his veins like a volcanic flow. Even though he had long ago let go of his frivolous dream of forcing people to release their Pokemon, such careless abuse was still entirely unforgiveable in his eyes. It was actions such as these which made him doubt the status quo, and only the love trainers such as White exhibited towards their Pokemon mollified his discontent. No matter how much work he did, no matter how many lives he saved, there would always be the countless voices which he just couldn't reach in time. It was like throwing a weightless pebble into the crashing waves of the ocean, expecting the tide to ebb only for him.

_But…mister… _the Drifloon's nervous voice jerked N from his dismal thoughts, and he looked back down at her.

_I'm okay now, and that's all because of you. You don't need to hurt my old trainer, really! Before he caught me and took me from my parents, my Father always used to tell me that two wrongs don't make a right. I think that's really smart._

"But he shouldn't go unpunished!" N protested, throwing his hands up. "What if he goes on to do the same thing to another poor, innocent Pokemon? I can't let this keep happening!"

The Drifloon nuzzled against his leg like she was trying to comfort him. _I can't be sure…but after he hurt me, I think I saw regret in his eyes. I think he knows what he did was wrong, and I don't think he'll hurt another one of his Pokemon ever again. But you know, it doesn't matter! Whatever he does from now on...it isn't your fault! You're a good person, so don't spread more sadness by bringing more pain and hurt into the world, okay?_

"I…I suppose…" N muttered, looking away . The corners of his lips twitched into a frown as he glanced over at White, who was busy tickling a giggling Oshawott until he cried for mercy. _Am I really a good person? By punishing bad trainers, have I been spreading happiness…or pain? How many times were the injuries I patched up only accidents? Have I been too impulsive in my actions? I wonder…_

Becoming aware of N's gaze, White looked up at him, a tremendous grin plastered on her face. Skipping over to him, she dropped Oshawott next to the Drifloon, urging them to play with each other.

"I'm glad everything's okay," she said, straightening out and reaching over to squeeze N's hand. "I have an idea – how about we have lunch here? I can even let all of my Pokemon out! I haven't been able to do that in forever."

"S-Sure," he replied, taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm. Her moods, it seemed, changed as often as his these days. Regardless, he was glad to see her smiling again.

"All right," she cried, unlatching the five occupied Pokeballs on her belt. "Arcanine, Lilligant, Hydreigon, Braviary, Reuniclus - come on out, guys!"

Various roars filled the immediate area as White's Pokemon were released, and all of a sudden things were a little more crowded. N was familiar with all of her team, save for the large and majestic Arcanine who was currently stretching and nibbling at his broad paws. Even more curious to him was when Oshawott immediately ceased his antics with Drifloon and bounded over to the Arcanine, crying, _Papa! It's my Papa!_

"Oshawott's part Arcanine?" he inquired, amused.

"Uh, yeah," White nodded, staring fondly at the strange father-son pair. "Weird, right? I was really surprised to find Samurott with an egg one day…"

She trailed off abruptly, lost in memories of happier times.

"Where did you even find one?" N prompted gently, pulling her from her thoughts. "I thought that they were only found in Kanto, maybe Johto."

"Oh, he was given to me as a gift when he was only a Growlithe," she explained, walking over to rest a hand on the lion-dog's shoulder. Growling affectionately, he turned and dragged his long tongue up her cheek. Sputtering and wincing, the girl bounced back and cried, "God_damnit_, Arky! How many times have I told you not to do that!? Disgusting!"

A deep rumble of laughter resounded in Arky's throat, and White scowled at him, clearly not amused. Scooping Oshawott up, she balanced him on his father's back and muttered, "Here, spend some time with your kid. He's missed you a lot lately."

Turning to N, she clapped her hands together and puffed her cheeks up as she exhaled.

"Right, let's eat!"

* * *

"I meant to ask you about something, White," N said sometime later, after they had eaten a very filling lunch. The two trainers and their friends were all contentedly reveling in the afterglow of their lunch beneath a nearby tree.

"Yeah? Shoot," she responded, cracking an eyelid open. The trainer was currently splayed out on her back, arms thrown behind her and cradling her head. The warmth from the late spring sun was making her drowsy, and she gladly welcomed the brief respite from their journey.

"Yesterday, before that Colress man so rudely interrupted our conversation…" White snorted in a very un-ladylike fashion, and N shot her a look before continuing, "I asked you something."

"What was it?" she yawned, stretching like a satisfied Liepard. "I can't quite remember. Jog my memory?"

"I, uhm," N coughed out, nervously clearing his throat before going on, "I asked if you had had any other attachments of a…romantic nature while I was away."

The former king was met with a dubious silence, and his heart seemed to skip a beat. White opened her eyes and sat up with crossed legs, fully aware now.

"N, I'm not sure I really want to talk about it," she said shakily, squeezing her eyes shut. Damn it, she had hoped that he had forgotten about their little exchange yesterday. Nothing got past the man, it seemed.

"But it's really important to me that I know," he replied, a frown tugging at his mouth.

"It was just a really difficult time for me, okay?" White ground out, slightly angry at his unwillingness to drop the subject. "I don't really like to think about it."

"But you told me that if we are to be successful mates, we need to communicate!" N protested, hurt flashing through his eyes. "Why does that apply to me and not to you?"

"Just drop it, N!" she growled, eyes narrowing to irate slits. No, she definitely was not dealing with this right now.

"…fine." N finally ceded, although his lips were still pursed into a childish pout.

"Look," White sighed, combing her fingers through her hair in nervous habit. With a huff, she let herself fall on to her back again. "I'm sorry. I promise that I'll tell you one day, but not now. It's still hurts too much."

Exhaling his frustration, N scooted down until he was beside his mate. He snuggled against her side, meekly hiding his face with her bony shoulder.

"Oh, N," she chuckled lightly despite her rapidly beating heart, curling around him and holding him close. Some things never changed, indeed.

* * *

Two more days passed relatively quietly, and White noted cheerfully that her old endurance seemed to be returning. The Drifloon had decided to follow them, using the excuse that she should probably go to a Pokemon Center to heal, something with which N agreed whole-heartedly. However, her real motive soon became clear: she was spending all of her time trying to convince N to be her trainer. Even though the Hero had very much given up on forcing his beliefs on others, he still held fast to the ideal that Pokemon should not be enslaved by humans.

Undeterred by this fact, the Drifloon (who White had affectionately nicknamed Floonie) continued to whimper and whine, disappearing and reappearing in front of the former king constantly (scaring the living daylights out of him and Zoroark every time), until he had finally begrudgingly rolled an empty Pokeball to her. Floonie allowed herself to be sucked into the device, and upon her immediate release, danced around N's head gleefully, whistling an upbeat tune about her awesome new trainer. White couldn't help but burst out laughing at his harangued look.

In spite of all of this, the couple's anxiety levels continued to rise; now that they could sense how close they were to their dragon companions, N and White were constantly uneasy and on-edge. Their unrest manifested itself in their nightly 'sessions' – it was as if each Hero was vying for dominance, their touches and actions becoming more heated with each passing minute. Electricity explosively mingled with licking flames, searching for something deeper, something neither could put a finger on. Even though their desires were clearly matched, it was White who stopped each time, stammering that she was tired, and they needed to be up early in the morning so bedtime is now.

And so without an outlet, the tension continued to grow and weigh heavier in the air, until they finally reached Undella Town on the morning of the fourth day of travel, and White knew that she couldn't deny her counterpart any longer.

* * *

.

"Sir, Colress is here to see you. May I let him in?"

Lazily, Ghetsis rotated his chair until he was facing the intercom on his desk. With an irritated sigh, he replied, "Let him in, Margaret" and leaned back expectantly.

Plasma Admin Colress waltzed in, graceful as usual, and delicately sat on the chair facing his superior's desk. Ghetsis wrinked his nose; he could barely tolerate the strange man, having no patience for his distracting talk of the potential of Pokemon. All he cared about was if Colress could do his job and execute his plans satisfactorily.

"What is it?" he asked in a bored tone, shuffling through some of the paperwork on his desk.

"I have news which might interest you," Colress smirked, folding his hands on his lap. Ghetsis raised a thick eyebrow, only partially interested.

"Go on."

"I seem to have run into some important figures who may interfere with our plans," Colress explained, smoothly sliding a manila folder in his boss's direction. With a 'hmph', the Sage opened the file and quickly skimmed its contents. Two names made him pale visibly, and he began to quake in rage.

"You found my…son, and that useless whore of his," Ghetsis ground out through gritted teeth, gripping the paper so hard that it crumbled. "And you didn't fucking think to inform me of that fact immediately?"

With a look of mild disinterest, Colress merely shrugged.

"I didn't think it was that important, sir," he sighed, casually adjusting one of his gloves.

"You fucking idiot!" Ghetsis screeched, jumping to his feet and slamming his hands down. "They're already in Undella Town at this point! We have to accelerate our plans by a week because of this information!"

A vein throbbed in his forehead, and the Sage tried to compose himself. There was no sense in wasting his anger on something as useless as this. In fact, such an acceleration of their carefully cultivated plans might even play to his advantage. Leaning over, he pushed in the intercom button and muttered, "Margaret, send me the leaders of Squads Alpha through Epsilon for debriefing immediately."

Turning to Colress, the Sage fixed him with an eerie one-eyed glare.

"You're dismissed, Admin," he all but snarled, settling back into his desk chair. "Do not let an oversight like this happen again."

"Certainly, sir," Colress sighed, bowing before exiting the room.

With a frustrated grimace, Ghetsis steepled his fingers and centered himself, forcing himself to be calm. He had much to do.


End file.
